Investigation of serum level relationship of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines with vitamin D among healthy Ghanaian population.

BACKGROUND: The interplay between vitamin D status and inflammatory cytokines in a supposedly sufficient sunshine environment has not well been evaluated. The study sought to determine their association. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 500 healthy adult blood donors from some selected hospitals in Ghana enrolled from June to November 2016. Venous blood samples were obtained from participants, 25(OH)D, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL 10 were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Serum levels of 25(OH)D < 20ng/ml were classified as being deficient or low. RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 27.97 years. No statistically significant association was established between 25(OH) D status, mean age (p = 0.1693), and gender (p = 0.5461) of study participants. Similarly, the median 25(OH) D (p = 0.8392), IL-10 (p = 0.5355), TNF-alpha (p = 0.9740), and IFN-gamma (p = 0.6908) were not significantly different across gender. There was a significantly increased levels of TNF-alpha (p < 0.0001) and IFN-gamma (p < 0.0001) among participants with 25(OH) D deficiency compared to those without deficiency. Concurrently, participants with 25(OH)D deficiency had a significantly reduced levels of IL-10 (p < 0.0001) compared to those without 25 (OH) D deficiency. The most accurate biochemical markers for identifying 25 (OH) D deficiency were IFN-gamma (AUC = 0.879; p < 0.0001) followed by TNF-gamma (AUC = 0.849; p < 0.0001) and IL-10 (AUC = 0.707; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: There was a significant association between vitamin D levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL 10) among healthy Ghanaian populace.

Low Levels of Vitamin D in a Cohort of Women with Impalpable Breast Lesions from Rio de Janeiro/Brazil

Background: Low levels of vitamin D have been described as a risk factor for the development of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of vitamin D (25OHD) in patients with impalpable breast lesions comparing with a control group. Methods: Vitamin D quantification (25OHD) was assessed in the plasma of 65 patients with impalpable breast lesions and from 20 health controls using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Pearson's chi-square test and nonparametric t-Student were used to evaluate statistical significance between the clinical variables and the means of quantification of vitamin D. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the correlation between age and vitamin sufficiency for the cases and the controls. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and/or insufficiency in women with malignant lesions was 84% and 60% for the control group. Using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test, the relationship between vitamin D levels and age presented significant association only for the control group (P=0.002). Using ROC curve, the plot area (0.778) for the control group defined a cut-off value of 45 years to age, with specificity and sensitivity of 60% and 50%, respectively. Thus, the odds ratio for vitamin D insufficiency in women over 45 years was 1.37 (P=0.011). For the case group, clinical characteristics, histological grade, and lymph node involvement did not show any significant association. Conclusion: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is high in women with impalpable breast lesions, as well as in the control group, even in a tropical city. According to the results the age advancement may be involved with the decrease in vitamin D levels in plasma, but there was no statistical association between low levels of Vitamin D and breast cancer.

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in women with breast cancer: The first Chilean study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of female death from malignancy worldwide. One factor that has been associated to a higher incidence and poor prognosis is a Vitamin D deficiency (measured as 25-Hydroxi-Vitamin D (25OHD)). Our aim was to determine 25OHD levels in serum samples of Chilean BC patients before endocrine therapy and its association to clinical parameters at the time of diagnosis. METHODS: We analyzed clinical records of 105 women, evaluated at the Cancer Center of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Serum levels of 25OHD were determined using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency before endocrine therapy was of 70.5%. Only 7% of our patients showed sufficient vitamin D levels at the beginning of the endocrine treatment. There was a significant correlation found between age and 25OHD levels, and also between body fat percentage and 25OHD levels (r(2) = 0.04; p = 0.021; r(2) = 0.028; p = 0.0432, respectively). Summer 25OHD levels were significantly higher than winter levels (p = 0.0322). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Chilean BC women before endocrine therapy and 25OHD levels are inversely correlated to the age and body fat percentage of patients. Further studies are needed to determine causal relationship between vitamin D levels and BC development and outcome.

Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Levels and Blood Pressure Among Adolescents in Two Resource-Limited Settings in Peru.

INTRODUCTION: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) deficiency (<50 nmol/l or 20 ng/ml) has been associated with increased blood pressure (BP) in observational studies. A paucity of data on this relationship is available in Latin American or child populations. This study investigates the association between 25OHD levels and BP in adolescents at risk for vitamin D deficiency in 2 Peruvian settings. METHODS: In a population-based study of 1,441 Peruvian adolescents aged 13-15 years, 1,074 (75%) provided a serum blood sample for 25OHD analysis and BP measurements. Relationships between 25OHD and BP metrics were assessed using multiple linear regressions, adjusted for anthropometrics and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: 25OHD deficiency was associated with an elevated diastolic BP (DBP) (1.09 mm Hg increase, 95% confidence interval: 0.04 to 2.14; P = 0.04) compared to nondeficient adolescents. Systolic BP (SBP) trended to increase with vitamin D deficiency (1.30 mm Hg increase, 95% confidence interval: -0.13 to 2.72; P = 0.08). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was also greater in adolescents with 25OHD (1.16 mm Hg increase, 95% confidence interval: 0.10 to 2.22; P = 0.03). SBP was found to demonstrate a U-shaped relationship with 25OHD, while DBP and MAP demonstrated inverse J-shaped relationships with serum 25OHD status. The association between 25OHD deficiency and BP was not different across study sites (all P ≥ 0.19). DISCUSSION: Adolescents deficient in 25OHD demonstrated increased DBP and MAP and a trend toward increased SBP, when compared to nondeficient subjects. 25OHD deficiency early in life was associated with elevated BP metrics, which may predispose risk of hypertension later in adulthood.