DiCarlo C et al. – These findings suggest that body mass index has an important relationship with 25(OH)D concentrations regardless of a person being healthy or having heart failure (HF).

• The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the association between 25–hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations, vitamin D intake, and sunlight exposure in patients with heart failure (HF) compared with healthy volunteers.
• Fourteen healthy volunteers 50 and older were recruited to compare with 14 patients with HF.
• Healthy volunteers were compared with HF patients by serum 25(OH)D concentrations, dietary vitamin D intake, weekly sunlight exposure, and other covariates.
• Independent sample t tests and linear regression models were used to compare differences between healthy volunteers and patients with HF.
• The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was not significantly different between groups (healthy volunteers 25.7±11.1 ng/mL, patients with HF 20.4±10.2 ng/mL; P=.2) and no group effect was found in any multivariable models.
• Body mass index regardless of group was found to be inversely associated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations (P=.025).
• There was no difference in the dietary intake of vitamin D or calcium between groups.
• The healthy volunteers had a significantly greater amount of sunlight exposure but this did not result in higher 25(OH)D when compared with those with HF.