Is Coronary Artery Calcification at the Intersection of Vitamin D and Coronary Artery Disease?

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in developed countries.1 Most of this premature mortality occurs in a subgroup of the population that is prone to accelerated atherogenesis caused by genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors, along with their interactions. Growing evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) development.2 However, mechanistic evidence supporting this association is lacking. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is strongly associated with risk of vascular disease,3,4 and several studies report an inverse relationship between levels of the active form of vitamin D and atherosclerotic calcification.5 Therefore, it is important to understand if vitamin D metabolism influences degree of CAC; insights into this relationship would provide support for a role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of CAD.See accompanying article on page 2648 In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , Shen et al6 present a well-designed candidate gene study …