Italy: A recent study published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases has shed light on the persistence of vitamin D deficiency among Italian patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
The researchers revealed a high prevalence and persistence of vitamin D deficiency (Hypovitaminosis D) in AMI patients despite a trend towards increasing 25(OH)D concentrations over the years. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns did not affect vitamin D levels.

Previous studies have shown vitamin D deficiency is a common cardiovascular (CV) risk factor linked with atherosclerosis development. Aneta Aleksova, University of Trieste in Trieste, Italy, and colleagues evaluated changes in 25(OH)D concentrations in 1510 patients with acute myocardial infarction over a long observation period, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patients were divided into four groups according to the year of enrolment, group 1 (2009-2010), group 2 (2014-2016), group 3 (2017-2019), and group 4 (2020-2022).
The key findings of the study were as follows:
· The median 25(OH)D concentration in the overall cohort was 17.15 ng/mL. The median plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 14.45 ng/mL, 17.3 ng/mL, 18.95 ng/mL and 19.05 ng/mL, respectively.
· Although 25(OH)D levels increased over the years, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency remained high in each group (68.4%, 61.4%, 53.8%, and 52%, respectively).
· Hypovitaminosis D was predicted by the season influence (OR:2.03), higher body mass index (OR:1.25), smoking (OR:1.47), diabetes mellitus (OR:1.54), higher triglycerides levels (OR:1.02), older age (OR:1.07), and female gender (OR:1.3).
· After multivariable adjustment, vitamin D≤20 ng/mL was an independent predictor of mortality.
The findings showed that Hypovitaminosis D is highly prevalent and persistent over time in patients with AMI despite increasing vitamin D levels. The frequent lockdowns did not reduce 25(OH)D levels in the fourth group (2020-2022).
Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent and persistent in patients with AMI despite a trend towards increasing 25(OH)D concentrations over the years. The frequent lockdowns did not reduce the levels of 25(OH)D in the fourth group (2020-2022). However, the lowest incidence of hypovitaminosis D was observed between 2020 and 2022.
"Low levels of 25(OH)D are an independent predictor of mortality," the researchers concluded.
Reference:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2024.02.007