Vitamin D Attenuates Left Atrial Volume Changes in African American Males with Obesity and Prediabetes

Interrelationship between Vitamin D and Calcium in Obesity and Its Comorbid Conditions

Obesity has been linked to vitamin D (VD) deficiency and low calcium (CAL) status. In the last decade, dietary supplementation of vitamin D and calcium (VD-CAL) have been extensively studied in animal experiments and human studies. However, the physiological mechanisms remain unknown as to whether the VD-CAL axis improves homeostasis and reduces biomarkers in regulating obesity and other metabolic diseases directly or indirectly. This review sought to investigate their connections. This topic was examined in scientific databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed from 2011 to 2021, and 87 articles were generated for interpretation. Mechanistically, VD-CAL regulates from the organs to the blood, influencing insulin, lipids, hormone, cell, and inflammatory functions in obesity and its comorbidities, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and type-2 diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, previous research has not consistently shown that simultaneous VD-CAL supplementation affects weight loss or reduces fat content. This discrepancy may be influenced by population age and diversity, ethnicity, and geographical location, and also by degree of obesity and applied doses. Therefore, a larger prospective cohort and randomised trials are needed to determine the exact role of VD-CAL and their interrelationship.

The effect of native vitamin D therapy on echocardiographic parameters of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and early-stage chronic kidney disease

Aim. To assess the dynamics of the main echocardiographic parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) taking native vitamin D.

Material and methods. The study included 264 patients, which were divided into two groups: experimental group (n=135) — patients with stage 2-4 COPD (men, mean age — 72,2±3,8 years, mean disease duration — 23,1±3,4 years); control group (n=136) — patients with stage 2-4 COPD, comparable in age and sex. Patients of both groups were divided into 4 subgroups depending on forced expiratory volume in 1 second and vitamin D levels. In the experimental group, native vitamin D therapy was performed according to regimen that maintains its level >34,3 ng/ml during the year; in the control group — according to the Russian Association of Endocrinologists guidelines. Echocardiography was performed for all patients at the beginning and end of the study.

Results. In all subgroups of the experimental group, a statistically significant increase in the left ventricular ejection fraction was revealed (p<0,05); in patients with moderate COPD (GOLD 2) and vitamin D deficiency and patients with severe and very severe COPD (GOLD 3,4) and vitamin D insufficiency of the experimental group, we observed a significant decrease in the end-systolic dimension, average left atrial size and increase in stroke volume and stroke volume index, as well as normalization of the left ventricular geometry (p<0,05). In the control group after 12 months, no significant changes were detected.

Conclusion. Maintaining of vitamin D level >34,3 ng/ml for 12 months in patients with COPD and early-stage CKD was associated with a significant improvement in myocardial remodeling. This indicates an improvement in cardiovascular adaptation and function.

Effects of vitamin D deficiency on left atrial function as evaluated by 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography

PURPOSE

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent the world over, and some of its effects on the cardiovascular system have been previously demonstrated. We evaluated left atrial (LA) function via 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) in subjects with and without vitamin D deficiency.

METHODS

Ninety-seven consecutive patients without significant coronary artery disease on selective coronary angiography were incorporated in our study and divided according to their serum level of vitamin D into 2 groups: with and without vitamin D deficiency.

RESULTS

The early diastolic strain rate, as a marker of LA conduit function, was increased in patients with vitamin D deficiency (P = .008) and after adjustment for age (P = .046). However, after adjustment for all the confounding factors, vitamin D deficiency showed only a trend to be the independent determinant of LA early diastolic longitudinal strain rate (SRE, P = .065).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that LA function, as evaluated by 2DSTE, was not different between subjects with and without vitamin D deficiency after adjustment for the confounding factors.

Correlation of Vitamin D status and orthodontic-induced external apical root resorption

Background

Adequate Vitamin D is essential for dental and skeletal health in children and adult. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation of serum Vitamin D level with external-induced apical root resorption (EARR) following fixed orthodontic treatment.

Materials and Methods

In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency (defined by25-hydroxyvitamin-D) was determined in 34 patients (23.5% male; age range 12-23 years; mean age 16.63 ± 2.84) treated with fixed orthodontic treatment. Root resorption of four maxillary incisors was measured using before and after periapical radiographs (136 measured teeth) by means of a design-to-purpose software to optimize data collection. Teeth with a maximum percentage of root resorption (%EARR) were indicated as representative root resorption for each patient. A multiple linear regression model and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to assess the association of Vitamin D status and observed EARR. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The Pearson coefficient between these two variables was determined about 0.15 (P = 0.38). Regression analysis revealed that Vitamin D status of the patients demonstrated no significant statistical correlation with EARR, after adjustment of confounding variables using linear regression model (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study suggests that Vitamin D level is not among the clinical variables that are potential contributors for EARR. The prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency does not differ in patients with higher EARR. These data suggest the possibility that Vitamin D insufficiency may not contribute to the development of more apical root resorption although this remains to be confirmed by further longitudinal cohort studies.