Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: A poor vitamin D status has been related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Carotid intima–media thickness (IMT) has shown to be an early marker of subclinical atherosclerotic Therefore, we aimed at examining the association between vitamin D status and the extent of carotid IMT in type 2 diabetics.

Subjects and methods: In a cross sectional study 78 type 2 diabetic patients attending the Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic in Kasr El Ani Hospital were subjected to: full history, physical examination, anthropometric measurements (BMI and waist circumference), fasting glucose, HOMAIR, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, 25(OH) vitamin D, and carotid Doppler.

Results: Diabetics with normal CIMT (n=26) all with sufficient vitamin D, diabetic with increased CIMT (n=52) (40 sufficient 76.9% and 12 insufficient 23.1%). Six patients with increased CIMT had carotid plaque. Only one patient had vitamin D insufficiency, all other five patients had sufficient vitamin D. Vitamin D negatively correlated with Rt IMT, however, not statistically significant (r=−0.003, P=0.981). Negative correlation between fasting blood glucose and vitamin D statistically significant (r=−0.415, P<0.001). Negative correlation between cholesterol and Rt intima (r=−0.340, P=0.002).

Conclusion: Low serum 25(OH)D has no consistent association with mean IMT. Thus could not predict subclinical atherosclerosis in diabetics, the contribution of the local activated vitamin D system within atherosclerotic plaque has not been appropriately investigated yet. Therefore, both basic research studies and clinical trials are needed for better elucidating the therapeutic and path physiological role of vitamin D in atherogenesis and CV diseases.