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Vitamin D status and incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: a general population study

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Abstract

Low vitamin D status has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality primarily in selected groups, smaller studies, or with self-reported vitamin D intake. We investigated the association of serum vitamin D status with the incidence of a registry-based diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and all-cause mortality in a large sample of the general population. A total of 9,146 individuals from the two population-based studies, Monica10 and Inter99, were included. Measurements of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D at baseline were carried out using the IDS ISYS immunoassay system in Monica10 and High-performance liquid chromatography in Inter99. Information on CVDs and causes of death was obtained from Danish registries until 31 December 2008. There were 478 cases of IHD, 316 cases of stroke, and 633 deaths during follow-up (mean follow-up 10 years). Cox regression analyses with age as underlying time axis showed a significant association between vitamin D status and all-cause mortality with a HR = 0.95 (P = 0.005) per 10 nmol/l higher vitamin D level. We found no association between vitamin D status and incidence of IHD or stroke (HR = 1.01, P = 0.442 and HR = 1.00, P = 0.920, respectively). In this large general population study, the observed inverse association between serum vitamin D status and all-cause mortality was not explained by a similar inverse association with IHD or stroke.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Rikke Kart Jacobsen for statistical support and the participants and all members of the Inter99 staff at Research Centre for Prevention and Health. The Inter99 study was initiated by Torben Jørgensen, DMSci (principal investigator); Knut Borch-Johnsen, DMSci, (co-principal investigator); Troels Thomsen, PhD; and Hans Ibsen, DMSci. The Steering Committee comprises the former two and Charlotta Pisinger, PhD, MPH. We would like to thank IDS Nordic a/s for performing vitamin D measurements in the Monica10 study. The present study was supported by The Health Insurance Foundation (Grant Number 2010 B 131).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

Participants gave their informed consent in both studies, and the studies were approved by the local Ethics Committees and the Danish Data Protection Agency. The recommendations of the Declaration of Helsinki were followed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup Hospital, Nordre Ringvej 57, 2600, Glostrup, Denmark

    Tea Skaaby, Lise Lotte Nystrup Husemoen, Charlotta Pisinger, Torben Jørgensen, Betina Heinsbæk Thuesen & Allan Linneberg

  2. Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Torben Jørgensen

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark

    Torben Jørgensen

  4. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark

    Mogens Fenger

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  1. Tea Skaaby
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Correspondence to Tea Skaaby.

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Skaaby, T., Husemoen, L.L.N., Pisinger, C. et al. Vitamin D status and incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: a general population study. Endocrine 43, 618–625 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-012-9805-x

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