Vitamin D, vascular calcification and mortality among alcoholics

Abstract

AIMS: To analyze the relationship between low vitamin D levels and mortality among alcoholics. METHODS: One hundred twenty-eight alcoholic patients admitted to our hospital were followed up as outpatients. Nutritional status was evaluated measuring percentages of fat and lean mass in different body compartments. RESULTS: Lower vitamin D levels were observed in patients with worse liver function. Vitamin D was lower in patients with lower total lean mass (Z = 2.8, P = 0.005), but it was not related to fat mass. There was a significant trend to higher long-term mortality among non-cirrhotics with vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml, although Cox's regression model revealed that only Child score and age were independently related to mortality. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is common among alcoholic patients and is associated with low lean mass and liver dysfunction. Among non-cirrhotics, serum vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml are associated with a greater long-term mortality.