Pancreas transplantation is a high-risk procedure in terms of cardiovascular complications. Therefore, identification of all cardiovascular risk factors is crucial to prevent cardiovascular complications after pancreas transplantation. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) appears to be a potential risk factor for coronary artery disease.
To determine the prevalence of VDD in pancreas transplant candidates, and further to examine the relationship between vitamin D and the prevalence of coronary artery disease and lipid profile parameters.
This is a prospective cross-sectional study. We enrolled consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes eligible for simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation or pancreas transplant alone. The laboratory tests included HbA1c, lipid profile, creatinine, and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). The diagnosis of coronary artery disease was based on coronary angiography.
The study population included 48 patients. VDD was revealed in 48% of patients and coronary artery disease in 35% of patients. The mean concentration of vitamin D in the entire cohort was 21.3 ± 9.48 ng/ml. The median value of 25(OH)D in patients with coronary artery disease was significantly lower than in patients without coronary artery disease (18.5 (11.6–21.5)
VDD is highly prevalent in pancreas transplant candidates with type 1 diabetes. There is a significant relationship between VDD and increased prevalence of coronary disease. The lack of any significant association between serum vitamin D and lipid profile suggests that the relationship between vitamin D and coronary artery disease results from other causes.