Vitamin D status and hypercholesterolemia in Spanish general population.
Dermatoendocrinol. 2013 Jun 1;5(3):358-62. doi: 10.4161/derm.27497. Epub 2013 Dec 18.
Cutillas-Marco E 1, Prosper AF 2, Grant WB 3, Morales-Suárez-Varela MM 4.
Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels have been associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. A possible relation between lipids and 25(OH)D might explain this association. This investigation aimed to determine the association between vitamin D and cholesterol, as well as the influence of statins on this association. This was a cross-sectional population-based study with 177 subjects aged 18-84 years. We collected demographics and data on sun exposure, sun protection habits, current medication including lipid-lowering drugs, and estimated vitamin D intake. Serum measurements included levels of 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, phosphorus, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glucose. The mean 25(OH)D level was 24 ± 9 ng/ml. Young age (P = 0.04) and spending more than 1 h outdoors (P = 0.04) were independently associated with higher 25(OH)D levels. The 25(OH)D concentrations correlated negatively with total cholesterol (P = 0.01) and LDL cholesterol (P = 0.04) levels.
The adjusted OR for total cholesterol > 200 mg/ml was 2.8 (range, 1.1-7.5). Receiving statins was associated with higher 25(OH)D levels (P = 0.04). In conclusion, this study supports an association between 25(OH)D levels and cholesterol. Further studies are required to explain this association.
PMID: 24516690
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