Vascular function and cholecalciferol supplementation in CKD: A self-controlled case series.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in this randomized controlled trial publication.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the commonest cause of mortality in CKD patients.

In a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial, the researchers have recently reported favorable effects of vitamin D supplementation on vascular & endothelial function and inflammatory biomarkers in vitamin D deficient patients with non-diabetic stage 3-4 CKD (J Am Soc Nephrol 28: 3100-3108, 2017).

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 31 subjects taking part.

The age groups tagged for this paper are middle-aged adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The subjects were allocated by chance, so the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Blinding on both sides kept the subjects and researchers unaware of who received Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

Some subjects received a placebo instead of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Biomarkers, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cholecalciferol, Dietary Supplements, Pulse Wave Analysis, Renal Insufficiency, Chronic and Vitamin D Deficiency.

Author keywords: Chronic kidney disease, Flow mediated dilatation and Pulse wave velocity.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 31 subjects.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2018 (The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology), a journal based in England.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.