Prime mover or fellow traveller: 25-hydroxy vitamin D's seasonal variation, cardiovascular disease and death in the Scottish Heart Health Extended Cohort (SHHEC).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Theoretical links between seasonal lack of sunlight, hypovitaminosis D and excess cardiovascular disease and death prompted our adding novel to conventional cohort analyses.

Methods

We tested three postulates on 13,224 Scottish Heart Health Extended Cohort participants, assayed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and followed for 22 years. (i) Endpoints enumerated by month of occurrence mirror annual seasonal oscillation in 25OHD. (ii) Endpoint seasonality is increased in people with below median 25OHD. (iii) Low 25OHD predicts endpoints independently of major risk factors.

Results

Baseline median 25OHD level was 36.4 (other quartiles 26.7, 51.7) nmol/l. The March trough was half the August peak, both well after seasonal solstices. (i) There was no demonstrable

SUBMITTER: Tunstall-Pedoe H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4681106 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature