An association between the vitamin D receptor (VDR) GAT haplotype and coronary artery disease (CAD) in type-2 diabetes has recently been described. Since cardiovascular mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is comparable to that observed for patients with type-2 diabetes, we aimed to determine if VDR GAT haplotype is also associated with atherosclerotic disease in RA.
591 Northern Spanish RA patients were genotyped for 4 VDR polymorphisms (rs731236 A/G; rs7975232 A/C; rs1544410C/T; rs2228570 G/A). Atherosclerotic disease was established by the presence of carotid plaques in carotid ultrasound.
VDR rs7975232 AA genotype was increased in RA patients with plaques (p = 0.045, OR = 1.46 [1.01-2.18]). More importantly, the frequency of carotid plaques was significantly increased in RA patients who carried the GATG haplotype (p = 0.009, OR = 1.56 [1.09-2.42]).
Our results suggest a potential VDR GATG haplotype association with atherosclerotic disease in RA patients.