Safety of 50,000-100,000 Units of Vitamin D3/Week in Vitamin D-Deficient, Hypercholesterolemic Patients with Reversible Statin Intolerance

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency (<32 ng/mL) is a reversible cause of statin-intolerance, usually requiring vitamin D3 (50,000-100,000 IU/week) to normalize serum D, allowing reinstitution of statins. Longitudinal safety assessment of serum vitamin D, calcium, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is important. AIMS: Prospectively assess the safety-efficacy of vitamin D3 therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 282 statin-intolerant hypercholesterolemic patients for 6 months and in 112 of the 282 patients for 12 months, with low-entry serum vitamin D (<32 ng/mL), we assessed safety-efficacy of vitamin D3 therapy (50,000-100,000 IU/week). RESULTS: On mean (66,600 IU) and median (50,000 IU) of vitamin D3/week in 282 patients at 6 months, serum vitamin D rose from pretreatment (21—median) to 46 ng/mL (P < 0.0001), and became high (>100 ng/mL) but not toxic (>150 ng/mL) in 4 patients (1.4%). Median serum calcium was unchanged from entry (9.60 mg/dL) to 9.60 at 6 months (P = .36), with no trend of change (P = .16). Median eGFR was unchanged from entry (84 mL/min/1.73) to 83 at 6 months (P = .57), with no trend of change (P = .59). On vitamin D3 71,700 (mean) and 50,000 IU/week (median) at 12 months in 112 patients, serum vitamin D rose from pretreatment (21—median) to 51 ng/mL (P < 0.0001), and became high (>100 but <150 ng/mL) in 1 (0.9%) at 12 months. Median serum calcium was unchanged from entry (9.60 mg/dL) to 9.60 mg/dL and 9.60 mg/dL at 6 months and 12 months, respectively; P > 0.3. eGFR did not change from 79 mL/min/1.73 at entry to 74 mL/min/1.73 and 77 mL/min/1.73 at 6 months and 12 months, P > 0.3. There was no trend in the change in serum calcium (P > 0.5 for 6 months and 12 months), and no change of eGFR for 6 months and 12 months, P > 0.15. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D3 therapy (50,000-100,000 IU/week) was safe and effective when given for 12 months to reverse statin intolerance in patients with vitamin D deficiency. Serum vitamin D rarely exceeded 100 ng/mL, never reached toxic levels, and there were no significant change in serum calcium or eGFR.