Synergistic effect of low K and D vitamin status on arterial stiffness in a general population

Both vitamins K and D are nutrients with pleiotropic functions in human tissues. The metabolic role of these vitamins overlaps considerably in calcium homeostasis. We analyzed their potential synergetic effect on arterial stiffness. In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) in 1023 subjects from the Czech post-MONICA study. Desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix 1,1-carboxyglutamate protein (dp-ucMGP), a biomarker of vitamin K status, was measured by sandwich ELISA and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3) by a commercial immunochemical assay. In a subsample of 431 subjects without chronic disease or pharmacotherapy, we detected rs2228570 polymorphism for the vitamin D receptor. After adjustment for confounders, aPWV was independently associated with both factors: dp-ucMGP [13-coefficient(S.E.M.) = 13.91(4.87); P=.0041 and 25 -OH -D3 [0.624(0.28); P=.0271. In a further analysis, we divided subjects according to dp-ucMGP and 25 -0H -D3 quartiles, resulting in 16 subgroups. The highest aPWV had subjects in the top quartile of dp-ucMGP plus bottom quartile of 25 -OH -D3 (i.e., in those with insufficient status of both vitamin K and vitamin D), while the lowest aPVW had subjects in the bottom quartile of dpucMGP-plus top quartile of 25 -0H -D3 [9.8 (SD2.6) versus 6.6 (SD1.6) m/s; P