ACTIVE SERUM VITAMIN-D LEVELS ARE INVERSELY CORRELATED WITH CORONARY CALCIFICATION

Background Arterial calcification is a common feature of atheroscleros is, occurring in >90% of angiographically significant lesions. Recent evidence from this and other studies suggests that development of athe rosclerotic calcification is similar to osteogenesis; thus, we underto ok the current investigation on the potential role of osteoregulatory factors in arterial calcification. Methods and Results We studied two human populations (173 subjects) at high and moderate risk for coronar y heart disease and assessed them for associations between vascular ca lcification and serum levels of the osteoregulatory molecules osteocal cin, parathyroid hormone, and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 (1,25-vi tamin D). Our results revealed that 1,25-vitamin D levels are inversel y correlated with the extent of vascular calcification in both groups. No correlations were found between extent of calcification and levels of osteocalcin or parathyroid hormone. Conclusions These data suggest a possible role for vitamin D in the development of vascular calcific ation. Vitamin D is also known to be important in bone mineralization; thus, 1,25-vitamin D may be one factor to explain the long observed a ssociation between osteoporosis and vascular calcification.