The Relationship Between the Incidence of the Vitamin D Deficiency and the Heart Failure Stages in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is known to be associated with increased incidence of hypertension, myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure and stroke. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and heart failure stages in patients with chronic heart failure. Materials and Methods: This study included 106 patients who were either treated in clinics or admitted to outpatient cardiology clinics between January and July 2010 in Turkey High Specialized Hospital. The patients were classified between NYHA classes I-IV and physical examination, echocardiography, electrocardiography and routine blood tests were performed on all patients. Blood tests were performed to determine vitamin D and parathormone levels from all patients. Results and conclusion: The mean age of the patients included in the study was 65.67 ± 10.4 years. At least one risk factor was present in 95% of the patients, and hypertension was found as the most prevalent factor (73.58%). According to the NYHA classification, 41.50% of the vitamin D levels were less than 25 nmol / L and vitamin D levels of patients with NYHA class III and IV heart failure were significantly different (p <0.05). Comparison of the vitamin D levels in the patients with heart failure class C and D were significantly different (p <0.05). Moreover, a statistically positive correlation was found between the heart failure stages and Vitamin D levels (p < 0.05; r = 0.267). A negative and statistically significant relationship was identified between vitamin D and parathormone levels (p < 0.05, r = -0.417). Correlation analysis showed that as the class of heart failure increased, the severity of vitamin D deficiency elevated, and this was accompanied with an increased level of parathormone. Conclusion: In conclusion it was observed that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was high in patients with stage C and D heart failure. Reasons for this may include the widespread urban lifestyle and inadequate daylight, disordered vitamin D absorption from intestines due to heart failure, and a decrease in active vitamin D synthesis due to a decrease in renal perfusion. When considering the roles of vitamin D on ventricular contractility, and vitamin D replacement therapy should be considered in heart failure patients and this should be investigated by more comprehensive studies.