Background and aims Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is common in SLE. In other populations, Vitamin D has been associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure and serum cholesterol. We assessed whether there was an association between serum Vitamin D and total serum cholesterol in a large SLE cohort.

Methods Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured at quarterly clinic visits in a large SLE cohort. 1358 different patients were observed from 1 to 40 visits (the median was 11). The patients were 92% female, 50% Caucasian, 41% African American. Age ranged from 17 to 89. When the 25(OH)D level was below 40 mg/ml, the patient was prescribed supplemental vitamin D, usually 50 000 IU weekly. We explored the association between serum Vitamin D levels and serum cholesterol using longitudinal regression models.

Results The Figure shows the relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and mean levels of serum cholesterol. It can be seen that 25(OH)D levels below 50 ng/ml are associated with a higher mean cholesterol. The Table 1 provides estimates of the two slopes evident in Figure 1. There is a significantly negative linear relationship between vitamin D and mean cholesterol when 25(OH)D is below 50 ng/ml.

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Abstract 455 Figure 1

Serum Cholestrol (mg/dl) vs Serum Vitamin D (ng/ml) with nonparametric estimate of the mean.

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Abstract 455 Table 1

Slope of relationship between 25(OH)D and mean Cholesterol over difference ranges of 25(OH)D.

Conclusions We observed a decline in cholesterol as Vitamin D increased to the normal range. Further research is needed to assess wither clinical interventions to increase vitamin D can have an impact on lipidemia.