Vitamin D Deficiency is a Predictor of Reduced Survival in Patients With Heart Failure
Israel Gotsman; Ayelet Shauer; Donna R. Zwas; Yaron Hellman; Andre Keren; Chaim Lotan; Dan Admon
Eur J Heart Fail. 2012;14(4):357-366. © 2012 Oxford University Press
Aims Vitamin D deficiency is a highly prevalent, global phenomenon. The prevalence in heart failure (HF) patients and its effect on outcome are less clear. We evaluated vitamin D levels and vitamin D supplementation in patients with HF and its effect on mortality.
Methods and results 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were evaluated in HF patients from a health maintenance organization (HMO), and compared them with those of the rest of the members of the HMO.
Patients with HF (n = 3009) had a lower median 25(OH)D level compared with the control group (n = 46 825): 36.9 nmol/L (interquartile range 23.2–55.9) vs. 40.7 nmol/L (26.7–56.9), respectively, P < 0.00001.
The percentage of patients with vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D <25 nmol/L] was higher in patients with HF compared with the control group (28% vs. 22%, P < 0.00001).
Only 8.8% of the HF patients had optimal 25(OH)D levels (?75 nmol/L).
Median clinical follow-up was 518 days. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency was an independent predictor of increased mortality in patients with HF [hazard ratio (HR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–1.92, P < 0.001] and in the control group (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.48–2.46, P < 0.00001).
Vitamin D supplementation was independently associated with reduced mortality in HF patients (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.54–0.85, P < 0.0001).
Parameters associated with vitamin D deficiency in HF patients were decreased previous solar radiation exposure, body mass index, diabetes, female gender, pulse, and decreased calcium and haemoglobin levels.
Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in HF patients and is a significant predictor of reduced survival. Vitamin D supplementation was associated with improved outcome.
After HF more people died if low vitamin D
People died if low vitamin D - even those who did not have heart failure
PDF is attached at the bottom of this page