Introduction: Hypovitaminosis D associates with obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipoproteinemia. We asked whether the presence of multiple cardiometabolic risk factors, and which particular combination, exerts additive negative effects on 25(OH)D3 levels; and whether 25(OH)D3 levels associate with markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
Subjects and methods: In non-diabetic medication-free adults central obesity (waist-to-height ratio > 0.5); elevated blood pressure (systolic BP≥130 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥85 mm Hg); increased atherogenic risk (log(TAG/HDL) ≥ 0.11); and insulin resistance (QUICKI < 0.322) were considered as cardiometabolic risk factors. 25(OH)D3 status was classified as deficiency (25(OH)D3 ≤20 ng/ml); insufficiency (levels between 20-to-30 ng/ml), or as satisfactory (>30 ng/ml). Plasma adipokines, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, advanced glycation end-products, and their soluble receptor were determined.
Results: 162 subjects were cardiometabolic risk factors-free, 162 presented increased (i.e. 1 or 2), and 87 high number (i.e. 3 or 4) of cardiometabolic risk factors. Mean 25(OH)D3 decreased with rising number of manifested risk factors (36 ± 14 ng/ml, 33 ± 14 ng/ml, and 31 ± 15 ng/ml, respectively; pANOVA: 0.010), while prevalence of hypovitaminosis D did not differ significantly. Elevated blood pressure and insulin resistance appeared as significant determinants of hypovitaminosis D. Subjects presenting these risk factors concurrently displayed the lowest 25(OH)D3 levels (29 ± 15 ng/ml). Plasma adipokines, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, advanced glycation end-products, and their soluble receptor generally differed significantly between the groups, but only advanced oxidation protein products and advanced glycation end-products associated fluorescence of plasma showed significant independent association with 25(OH)D3 levels.
Conclusion: In apparently healthy adults increasing number of cardiometabolic risk factors associates with poorer 25(OH)D3 status, while the association between 25(OH)D3 status and inflammatory or oxidative stress markers remains equivocal.