the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and IMT of carotid artery in patients with hypertension

Patients with hypertension are at increased risk for atherogenesis due to some background conditions. Recognition of related factors would help to better preventive programming and reduction of mortality and morbidity. Vitamin D level is a contributing factor in this era.

This study determined the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and the intima-media thickness of carotid artery in patients with hypertension. In this cross-sectional comparative-descriptive study, 100 cases of hypertension attended training hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran-Iran in 2018, and 2019 were enrolled. The relationship between vitamin D level (RIA method) and intima-media thickness of carotid artery (by real-time B mode ultrasonography) with 3-14 MHz linear probe in them was determined.

Vitamin D was deficient in 26%, insufficient in 41%, and sufficient in 33%. The mean IMT was 0.71 ± 0.27. The mean IMT was 1.05, 0.65, and 0.50 in those with deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency of vitamin D showing significant differences between groups (P=0.0001).

According to our study, vitamin D is deficient in 26% of cases with hypertension. The IMT was related to vitamin D levels and was higher in those with lower vitamin D serum levels.