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Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are inversely associated with systemic inflammation in severe obese subjects

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Abstract

Obesity is frequently characterized by a reduced vitamin D bioavailability, as well as insulin-resistance and a chronic inflammatory response. We tested the hypothesis of an independent relationship between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and several circulating inflammatory markers in a cohort of severely obese individuals. Cross-sectional study was carried out among obese patients undergoing a clinical evaluation before bariatric surgery in our University Hospital. Serum 25(OH)D, fasting and post load glucose and insulin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), leptin, adiponectin and lipid profile were collected. Insulin-resistance was assessed by insulin sensitivity index (ISI). Total body fat (FAT kg), total percent body fat (FAT%) and truncal fat mass (TrFAT) were assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A total of 147 obese subjects (89 women, 37.8 ± 7.1 years) with mean body mass index (BMI) of 43.6 ± 4.3 kg/m2 were enrolled. Patients in the lowest tertile of 25(OH)D were significantly more obese with a higher amount of TrFAT, more insulin-resistant, and had higher levels of fasting and post-challenge glucose (p < 0.05 for all). In a multivariate regression analysis, serum 25(OH)D was inversely related to significant levels of hs CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α after accounting for age, gender, season of recruitment, BMI, FAT kg and TrFAT (p < 0.01 for all). In extremely obese subjects, 25(OH)D serum concentrations are inversely associated with several biomarkers of systemic inflammation, regardless of the total quantity of fat mass.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Italian “Ministero della Salute” (RF 2004, Paolo Sbraccia).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Alfonso Bellia, Caterina Garcovich, Monica D’Adamo, Mauro Lombardo, Manfredi Tesauro, Giulia Donadel, Davide Lauro, Massimo Federici, Renato Lauro & Paolo Sbraccia

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy

    Paolo Gentileschi

Authors
  1. Alfonso Bellia
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  2. Caterina Garcovich
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  3. Monica D’Adamo
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  4. Mauro Lombardo
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  6. Giulia Donadel
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  7. Paolo Gentileschi
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  9. Massimo Federici
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  11. Paolo Sbraccia
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Correspondence to Paolo Sbraccia.

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Bellia, A., Garcovich, C., D’Adamo, M. et al. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are inversely associated with systemic inflammation in severe obese subjects. Intern Emerg Med 8, 33–40 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-011-0559-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-011-0559-x

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