Relationship of Vitamin D Deficiency to Echocardiographic Findings in Veterans

Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic levels and has been frequently found in United States veterans. This deficiency has been linked to cardiovascular disease; however few studies have examined the relationship of vitamin D status to cardiac sonography. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between vitamin D and echocardiography findings. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Veterans administration hospital in the Southeastern United States. Participants: Thirty two eligible patients were included. Measurements: Charts were reviewed for key variables of interest, and patients with coronary artery disease and without vitamin D testing were excluded. Results: Several of the echocardiogram parameters were significantly associated with vitamin D level and status. Those with mitral regurgitation were more than twice as likely as remaining patients to be vitamin D deficient, as were those with pulmonary hypertension. In addition, patients with aortic sclerosis were almost twice as likely to be vitamin D deficient compared with patients who were negative. Conclusion: Pending additional studies to confirm the cardiac benefits of a vitamin D repletes state, we urge clinicians to monitor and appropriately treat vitamin D deficiency. The benefits of maintaining adequate vitamin D reserves combined with the low potential for toxicity with modest vitamin D supplementation provides clinicians with a door to improving wellbeing and possibly ameliorating cardiac valvular disease.