An insufficient vitamin D supply may be related to vein thrombosis

A new study from Iran suggests that low blood concentrations of vitamin D may increase the risk of developing a blood clot in one or more deep veins.

The case control study measured the blood vitamin D concentrations of 82 participants with lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of unknown cause (idiopathic) and 85 healthy participants, mean age 47 years (1). The results showed that the vitamin D levels were significantly lower in the participants with DVT compa- red to the healthy controls. 68.3% of the DVT patients were vitamin D deficient (below 20 ng/mL), compared to 49.4% of the healthy participants.

The researchers commented that further studies are needed to investigate a probable causative role of vita- min deficiency in developing DVT. Experimental studies have shown that vitamin D may have anticoagulant properties (2), indicating that it may help prevent the clotting of blood (3, 4). DVT can develop due to long periods of time of sitting or due to certain medical conditions that affect the body’s ability to form blood clots. Venous thromboembolism is the most common cardiovascular disease affecting about 2 per 1,000 of the population and can lead to major morbidity and mortality.

1. Khademvatani K. et al. The relationship between vitamin D status and idiopathic lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis. International Journal of General Medicine. 2014; 7:303–309.<br>
   
2. Koyama T. et al. Anticoagulant effects of 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on human myelogenous leukemia cells and monocytes. Blood. 1998; 92(1):160–167.<br>
   
3. Wu-Wong J. R. et al. Vitamin D analogs modulate the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, thrombospondin-1 and thrombomodulin in human aortic smooth muscle cells. J Vasc Res. 2007; 44(1):11–18.<br>
   
4. Aihara K. et al. Disruption of nuclear vitamin D receptor gene causes enhanced thrombogenicity in mice. J Biol Chem. 2004; 279(34):35798–35802.</p>