Prehypertension linked to low vitamin D

Issue: January 2011

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2010

CHICAGO — Low serum vitamin D levels appear to be independently associated with the development of prehypertension, new data suggest.

Researchers Charumathi Sabanayagam, MD, PhD, and Anoop Shankar, MD, conducted a cross-sectional study of 9,215 participants included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III who were free of hypertension and CVD at baseline. Participants were divided into quartiles based on serum vitamin D levels. The main outcome of interest was prehypertension (n=3,712), which was defined as systolic BP of 120 mm Hg to 139 mm Hg or diastolic BP of 80 mm Hg to 89 mm Hg.

According to the results, low serum vitamin D levels were associated with the development of prehypertension, independent of risk factors such as age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol intake, BMI, physical inactivity, diabetes, total cholesterol to HDL ratio, CRP and glomerular filtration rate.

The odds of prehypertension among those with serum vitamin D levels <17.7 ng/mL were nearly 1.5 times that of individuals with vitamin D levels >32.4 ng/mL (OR=1.48; 95% CI, 1.16-1.90). On continuous analysis, each standard deviation decrease in vitamin D was associated with an odds ratio of 1.14 (95% CI, 1.05-1.24) for prehypertension.

“These findings are largely consistent with previous studies that examine the association [between low vitamin D levels] and prehypertension,” Sabanayagam, of West Virginia University in Morgantown, said during her presentation.

The researchers concluded that future randomized trials are needed to determine if vitamin D supplementation during the prehypertension stage can prevent the onset of full-blown hypertension.

Sabanayagam reported no relevant disclosures. – by Eric Raible

For more information:

Sabanayagam C. Abstract 21058. Presented at: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2010; Nov. 13-17; Chicago.

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