Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is Not Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency in Essential Hypertension

Abstract

An independent association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition characterized by insulin-resistance, and low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels has been reported. 25(OH)D concentrations are directly related with insulin sensitivity, whereas low [25(OH)D] predicts development of hypertension independent of glucose homeostasis alterations. We hypothesized that hypertensive patients with NAFLD have lower 25(OH)D than those without. Forty-four essential hypertensive (EH) patients with (n = 23) or without (n = 21) NAFLD were studied. No patient had diabetes mellitus, obesity, hyperlipidemia. The two hypertensive groups were compared with 24 healthy normotensive sex-, age-, body mass index (BMI)-matched subject, as controls. The two hypertensive groups had comparable age, sex, and blood pressure. BMI, glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index and alanine aminotransferase were higher (P < 0.001 to <0.05) and plasma adiponectin was lower (P < 0.05) in EH patients with NAFLD than in those without NAFLD. Vitamin D deficiency, as defined by 25(OH)D levels <50 nmol/L, was similarly frequent in EH patients and controls (47.7 % vs. 45.8%, P NS). Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was not different in EH patients with and without NAFLD (37.5% vs. 38.8%, P NS). In patients with EH and no additional cardiometabolic risk factors NAFLD is not associated with vitamin D deficiency.