The relationship between cardiovascular pathology and impaired glucose metabolism with vitamin D deficiency (literature review and own data)

Abstract

Background. Vitamin D plays a significant role in many processes in the human body, which diversifies the symptoms of its insufficiency, so it is not always possible to diagnose its deficiency in a timely manner. At the same time, according to a number of clinical studies, an inverse relationship has been proven between a reduced level of vitamin D and mortality from all causes and cardiovascular diseases, the course of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, chronic kidney disease, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease; and the mechanisms of the influence of vitamin D deficiency on various metabolic processes have been revealed. The development and progression of cardiovascular diseases and vascular complications of DM are currently the main causes of disability and mortality of patients. All this substantiates the need to control and monitor the vitamin D supply in patients with this comorbid pathology. Aim of the study is to investigate the presence and severity of vitamin D deficiency in patients with type 2 DM and the presence of concomitant cardiac pathology. Materials and methods. Main group included 31 patients (17 men and 14 women aged 51.51 ± 1.73 years, with duration of DM of 8.59 ± 1.70 years) who were treated in the endocrinology clinic from October 2022 to May 2023. The comparison group consisted of 27 patients with type 2 DM who stayed in this clinic in 2020–2021. Serum level of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) was studied using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of vitamin D less than 20–30 ng/ml was considered as its insufficiency, and the level below 20 ng/ml as deficiency. Statistical processing was carried out using Microsoft Excel and Statistica 6.0. Results. In the main group, cardiac pathology manifested itself by the presence of hypertension detected in all patients (stage I — 6 cases; stage II — 21 and stage IІI — 4); coronary heart disease and cardiosclerosis — in 7 patients; heart failure of the first or second degree — in all individuals. All patients in the main group were vitamin D deficient or insufficient: 15 had a deficiency (12.96 ± 1.06 ng/ml), and 16 had an insufficiency (23.68 ± 0.72 ng/ml). In contrast to the comparison group, patients from the main group had a significantly lower average level of vitamin D (18.49 ± 1.16 ng/ml vs 28.98 ± 1.02 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Taking into account a decrease in the level of vitamin D supply of patients, including those with comorbid pathology examined in 2022–2023, which is obviously associated with a long stay in shelters and a stressful situation caused by the state of war, and its impact on the course of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, it is necessary to pay more attention to the detection and timely appropriate correction of vitamin D deficiency. Conclusions. In patients with type 2 diabetes and comorbid cardiovascular pathology, there is a decrease in the level of vitamin D supply. During the war in Ukraine, there is a probable deepening of vitamin D deficiency. The negative impact of vitamin D deficiency on the course of diabetes and cardiovascular pathology justifies the need to monitor vitamin D supply in such patients.