Open AccessRelation of Vitamin D Status to Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiovascular Events in Dogs
Author(s) -
Kraus M.S.,
Rassnick K.M.,
Wakshlag J.J.,
Gelzer A.R.M.,
Waxman A.S.,
Struble A.M.,
Refsal K.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.12239
Subject(s) - medicine , heart failure , vitamin d and neurology , prospective cohort study , endocrinology , vitamin d deficiency , cohort study , vitamin , cohort , clinical significance , cardiology , gastroenterology
Background Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in cardiac function, and there is increasing evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with the development of congestive heart failure ( CHF ) in people. Hypothesis Serum vitamin D concentration is lower in dogs with CHF compared with unaffected controls and serum vitamin D concentration is associated with clinical outcome in dogs with CHF . Animals Eighty‐two client‐owned dogs. Methods In this cross‐sectional study, we examined the association between circulating 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25( OH )D], a measure of vitamin D status, and CHF in dogs. In the prospective cohort study, we examined whether 25( OH )D serum concentration was associated with clinical outcome in dogs with CHF . Results Mean 25( OH )D concentration (100 ± 44 nmol/L) in 31 dogs with CHF was significantly lower than that of 51 unaffected dogs (123 ± 42 nmol/L; P = .023). The mean calculated vitamin D intake per kg of metabolic body weight in dogs with CHF was no different from that of unaffected dogs (1.37 ± 0.90 μg/kg metabolic body weight versus 0.98 ± 0.59 μg/kg body weight, respectively, P = .097). There was a significant association of serum 25( OH )D concentration on time to clinical manifestation of CHF or sudden death ( P = .02). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance These findings suggest that low concentrations of 25( OH )D may be a risk factor for CHF in dogs. Low serum 25( OH )D concentration was associated with poor outcome in dogs with CHF . Strategies to improve vitamin D status in some dogs with CHF may prove beneficial without causing toxicity.