Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases: A narrative review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and vitamin D deficiency are becoming highly prevalent among general populations. Despite plausible biological mechanisms for the role of vitamin D in cardio-protection, a cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been established. The interest in vitamin D as a potential therapeutic target to attenuate cardiovascular risk has been raised.

Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Special Reference to C-Reactive Protein.

Objectives: To estimate C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in Saudi women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to investigate the associations between CRP and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components.

Methods: We randomly recruited 200 women with and without PCOS, between 18 and 38 years, in this age-matched case-control study. Study subjects were allocated to 1 of 4 groups according to the presence or absence of MetS.

Direct Medical Cost of Pediatric Asthma in Jordan: A Cost-of-Illness Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate and analyze the direct medical costs of pediatric patients with asthma in Jordan from the provider's perspective.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of a cohort of pediatric patients with asthma treated during 3 years in a teaching hospital was conducted. The prevalence-based, bottom-up approach has been used to estimate the cost-of-illness of asthma.

Directly measured free and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in relation to metabolic health in multi-ethnic postmenopausal females in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Measurement of free 25-hydroyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status has been suggested as a more representative marker of vitamin D status than that of total 25(OH)D. Previously, free 25(OH)D could only be calculated indirectly; however, a newly developed direct assay for the measurement of free 25(OH)D is now available. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate directly measured total and free vitamin D levels association with metabolic health in postmenopausal healthy women living in Saudi Arabia.

Association between vitamin D and glycaemic parameters in a multi-ethnic cohort of postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia.

Background: The relationship between vitamin D (VitD) and insulin sensitivity and secretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) has been shown to be different amongst different ethnic populations. In Saudi Arabia, where both T2D and VitD deficiency are highly prevalent health concerns, little is known about the relationship between VitD, insulin sensitivity, resistance and the relative importance of ethnicity. Our primary aim in this study was to investigate influence of ethnicity on VitD association with glycaemic profile and to measures of obesity as a secondary outcome, among multiethnic postmenopausal women with T2D in Saudi Arabia.