Low levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D are associated with prevalent myocardial dysfunction, deaths due to heart failure, and SCD. Interventional trials are warranted to elucidate whether vitamin D supplementation is useful for treatment and/or prevention of myocardial diseases.

Background and Purpose-Vitamin D deficiency is common among the elderly and may contribute to cerebrovascular diseases. We aimed to elucidate whether low vitamin D levels are predictive for fatal stroke. 4 In cross-sectional analyses, hemiplegic patients with acute stroke showed significantly reduced 25(OH)D concentrations compared with healthy controls. 5 Data from a population-based study showed that elderly persons with a low intake of vitamin D and low serum concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D were at increased risk for future strokes even after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and functional capacity. 6 We aimed to extend the currently rare knowledge about vitamin D and stroke by addressing the question whether low levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D are predictive for fatal stroke in patients from the LURIC study. Methods-The Subjects and MethodsA detailed description of the baseline examinations of the LURIC study has been published elsewhere. 7 In brief, the LURIC study is a prospective cohort study of 3316 white patients who were routinely referred to coronary angiography at a single tertiary center in southwestern Germany. All study participants gave their informed consent, and the ethics committee at the Á rztekammer RheinlandPfalz approved the study. Previous cerebrovascular disease (CVD) events were defined as a documented history of a foregoing transient ischemic attack, prolonged ischemic deficit, or cerebral infarction with or without a remaining neurologic deficit. 7 25(OH)D was determined in serum samples by radioimmunoassay (RIA) (DiaSorin Antony, France; Stillwater, Minn, USA) with an intra-assay and interassay coefficient of variation of 8.6% and 9.2%, respectively. In 100 randomly chosen samples, we determined 25(OH)D by liquid (Tables 2 and 3). These odds ratios remained significant after adjustments for cardiovascular risk factors, physical activity level, and calcium and parathyroid hormone levels (Tables 2 and 3). At baseline, 274 patients had a history of previous CVD events. In age-and sex-adjusted binary logisticregression analyses including the entire LURIC cohort (survivors and all deceased patients), the odds ratios per z value were 0.76 ( DiscussionIn a cohort of Ͼ3000 patients referred to coronary angiography, low levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D were independent predictors for fatal stroke and were reduced in patients with a history of previous CVD events at baseline. In particular, patients after acute stroke are at increased risk for vitamin D insufficiency due to reduced sun exposure and low dietary intake. 8 Vitamin D supplementation in stroke patients has already been shown to reduce osteopenia, fractures, and falls while improving muscle strength. 9,10 Apart from these beneficial effects, our results suggest that vitamin D might also directly protect against stroke. This hypothesis is supported by data indicating that vitamin D may protect against hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis. 2 In addition, vitamin D exerts antithrombotic and neuroprotective effects ...

Background: Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) is increased in conditions associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis. We investigated the use of ADMA to predict total and cardiovascular mortality in patients scheduled for coronary angiography.

FFA levels independently predict all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in subjects with angiographic CAD. A possible diagnostic use of FFAs warrants further studies, but our results may underline the importance of therapeutic approaches to influence FFA metabolism.

Despite the common view about adiponectin as a protective molecule in cardiovascular disease, high adiponectin independently predicts all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality in individuals with CAD.

Accumulating evidence suggests that vitamin D may protect against cancer, but results from epidemiologic studies are inconclusive so far, and other studies looking into the prospective association of total cancer mortality and serum 25-

Our study shows that elevated plasma FFAs are an independent risk factor for future SCD in patients referred to coronary angiography. These results may suggest that modulation of myocardial fatty acid uptake and/or metabolism are a possible target of treatment, but it still remains to be clarified whether high FFA levels are a cause or a consequence of pathological processes that underlie the association between FFA and SCD.

Serine at position 986 of CASR may be an independent genetic predictor of angiographic CAD, previous MI, and cardiovascular mortality.