Relationship of Vitamin D Deficiency to Cardiovascular and Metabolic Parameters in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract Objective To determine if vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3)), exacerbated the cardiovascular and metabolic characteristics in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Design Comparative cross-sectional analysis.Methods Demographic and metabolic data from women aged 18-40 years from the Qatar Biobank (QBB) (78 diagnosed with PCOS, 641 controls).Results Vitamin D deficiency (median (range)) was seen in both normal 14.0 (124) ng/ml and the PCOS cohorts 14.0 (62) ng/ml and did not differ between them. Whilst PCOS subjects were heavier with a more metabolic profile (greater systolic and diastolic blood pressure, higher levels of C-reactive protein, androgens, insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and decreased high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, with endothelial dysfunction as determined by pulse wave velocity, there was no correlation (Pearson coefficient) of any these parameters with vitamin D for either the control or PCOS population.Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency was equally prevalent in women with and without PCOS and was not correlated to insulin resistance, metabolic or cardiovascular parameters, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency is not associated with the PCOS phenotype.