Assessment of the Relationship Between Serum Vitamin D Level and Its Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Study.

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular events are the most common cause of mortality worldwide. Various studies have shown the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)Vit D] levels and cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study is to investigate the meta-analysis of the relationship between serum 25(OH)Vit D levels and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including stroke, coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and aortic disease in the population.

Method: Using valid keywords and searching the Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, 22 papers were compiled. Data analysis was performed in the group of people with low serum 25(OH)Vit D levels (<75 nmol/L). The data were analyzed using a random-effects meta-analysis model with R and Stata Version 17.0 software.

Results: In this study, 22 papers were included. This meta-analysis of 12 cohort studies (n = 39,396) found that lower serum vitamin D levels were significantly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (HR = 1.38, 95 % CI: 1.24-1.53) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.64, 95 % CI: 1.33-2.03). Dose-response analysis showed that each 10 nmol/L increase in vitamin D reduced CVD risk by 8.2 % (HR = 0.992, 95 % CI: 0.990-0.993). A non-linear inverse association was observed for all-cause mortality, with stronger protective effects at lower vitamin D levels. These results, in addition to most of the studies included in the systematic review, support a potential protective role of higher vitamin D concentrations.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed a relationship between serum 25(OH)Vit D levels and cardiovascular outcomes; the lower the serum 25(OH)Vit D level, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease.