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Low serum vitamin D is associated with increased mortality in elderly men: MrOS Sweden

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Abstract

Summary

In elderly man, low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was associated with a substantial excess risk of death compared to 25(OH)D values greater than 50–70 nmol/l, but the association attenuated with time.

Introduction

The aim of the present study was to determine whether poor vitamin D status was associated with an increase in the risk of death in elderly men.

Methods

We studied the relationship between serum 25(OH)D and the risk of death in 2,878 elderly men drawn from the population and recruited to the MrOS study in Sweden. Baseline data included general health and lifestyle measures and serum 25(OH)D measured by competitive RIA. Men were followed for up to 8.2 years (average 6.0 years).

Results

Mortality adjusted for comorbidities decreased by 5% for each SD increase in 25(OH)D overall (gradient of risk 1.05; 95% confidence interval 0.96–1.14). The predictive value of 25(OH)D for death was greatest below a threshold value of 50–70 nmol/l, was greatest at approximately 3 years after baseline and thereafter decreased with time.

Conclusions

Low serum 25(OH)D is associated with a substantial excess risk of death compared to 25(OH)D values greater than 50–70 nmol/l, but the association attenuates with time. These findings, if causally related, have important implications for intervention in elderly men.

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Conflicts of interest

JAK and EVM consult for a large number of companies involved in skeletal metabolism but have no competing interest to declare in relation to the context of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Bone and Arthritis Research (CBAR) at the Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gibraltargatan 1 C, 411 32, Gothenburg, Sweden

    H. Johansson, A. Odén, M. Lorentzon, C. Ohlsson & D. Mellström

  2. WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    J. Kanis & E. McCloskey

  3. Department of Medical Sciences, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden

    Ö. Ljunggren

  4. Clinical and Molecular Osteoporosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University and Department of Orthopaedics, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden

    M. K. Karlsson

  5. Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

    E. Barrett-Connor

  6. Wallenberg Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Å. Tivesten

  7. Hormone Laboratory, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    P. M. Thorsby

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  1. H. Johansson
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  2. A. Odén
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  3. J. Kanis
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  4. E. McCloskey
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  5. M. Lorentzon
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  7. M. K. Karlsson
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  8. P. M. Thorsby
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  9. Å. Tivesten
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  10. E. Barrett-Connor
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  11. C. Ohlsson
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  12. D. Mellström
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Correspondence to H. Johansson.

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Johansson, H., Odén, A., Kanis, J. et al. Low serum vitamin D is associated with increased mortality in elderly men: MrOS Sweden. Osteoporos Int 23, 991–999 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-011-1809-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-011-1809-5

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