Association of vitamin d level with the severity of coronary artery disease in saudi patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome

Background: Vitamin D plays several vital roles in the body; its impact on cardiovascular outcome is of great concern to cardiac specialists. This study investigated the influences of Vitamin D levels on coronary artery stenosis (CAS). Subjects and Method: A case study involving 248 patients (74%, 184 males; mean age of 57 ± 13 years) in which serum levels of vitamin D were measured in Saudi patients admitted to King Saud Medical Hospital with acute coronary syndrome. Coronary arteries were classified angiographically as normal, non-obstructive or obstructive coronary stenosis when there was more than 70% luminal stenosis. The relationship between vitamin D levels and coronary stenosis was assessed using STATA software. Results: The findings show that the mean (± standard deviation, SD) level of vitamin D was 14.3 ± 7.3 ng/ml. Most patients (205 [82.7%]) were found to have low serum vitamin D level. Of 248 patients recruited for this study, 70 (28%) of them had unstable angina, 85 (34.5%) had STsegment elevation myocardial infarction, and 93 (37.5%) had non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Likewise, 58 patients (23.4%) had three-vessel disease, 75 (30.2%) had two-vessel disease, 76 (30.4%) had one-vessel disease, 29 (12%) had a non-obstructive coronary artery stenosis, and 10 (4%) had visually normal coronary arteries. Vitamin D level was not a significant predictor of the degree of coronary luminal stenosis (p = 0.15). However, a low vitamin D level in individuals older than 55 years was a significant predictor of non-obstructive coronary artery stenosis [odds ratio (OD) = 2.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21-5.55, p = 0.015]. Conclusions: Low vitamin D level does not correlate with the severity of coronary stenosis, but normal level in patients older than 55 years is associated with decreased severity of coronary stenosis.