Serum calcium levels are not associated with coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have reported that low calcium intake is related to a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between serum calcium and coronary heart disease is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare serum calcium levels in patients with coronary heart disease and those in healthy individuals. METHODS: This retrospective, case-control study conducted in the People’s Republic of China comprised 380 cases and 379 controls. Serum calcium levels, blood lipids, and anthropometric measurements were measured in both groups. The Student’s unpaired t-test or Chi-square test was used to compare differences between cases and controls. Pearson’s partial correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between serum calcium, blood lipids, and blood pressure in both groups. RESULTS: Our results indicate that the average level of serum calcium in cases was higher than in controls. Serum calcium levels showed no correlation with any parameter except for triglycerides in either group. CONCLUSION: Overall, these data suggest that serum calcium has no influence on coronary heart disease or triglyceride levels in the general population.