Randomized trial of vitamin D versus placebo supplementation on markers of systemic inflammation in hypertensive patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

Animal and cell models indicated that vitamin D modulates inflammatory activity, which is considered relevant in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on systemic markers of inflammation in a cohort of hypertensive patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

The Styrian Vitamin D Hypertension Trial is a single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted from 2011 to 2014 in Austria. We enrolled 200 study participants with arterial hypertension and 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D (25(OH)D) concentration below 30 ng/mL. Study participants were randomized to receive either 2800 IU of vitamin D3 per day or placebo for 8 weeks. The present investigation is a post-hoc analysis using analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA). Outcome measures were biomarkers of inflammation including CRP, leukocytes including subtypes and leukocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, leucine and kynurenic acid. A total of 187 participants (mean age 60.1 ± 11.3years; 47% women; mean baseline 25(OH)D 21.1 ± 5.6 ng/mL) completed the trial. ANCOVA revealed a mean treatment effect for none of the respective outcomes and no significant results were detected in various subgroup analyses.

CONCLUSION:

Vitamin D3 supplementation in hypertensive patients with insufficient 25(OH)D concentrations has no significant effect on lowering markers of systemic inflammation. Further studies investigating the effect of vitamin D on other inflammatory pathways and in populations with severe vitamin D deficiency and a significant inflammatory burden are required.

REGISTRATION:

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02136771; EudraCT No. 2009-018,125-70. Start Date: 2011-04-06.

• Authors: Martin R Grübler, Armin Zittermann, Nicolas D Verheyen, Christian Trummer, Verena Theiler-Schwetz, Martin H Keppel, Oliver Malle, Georg Richtig, Stephanie Gängler, Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, Hubert Scharnagl, Andreas Meinitzer, Winfried März, Andreas Tomaschitz, Stefan Pilz
• Journal: Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD (Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis) Vol. 31 Issue 11 Pg. 3202-3209 (10 28 2021) ISSN: 1590-3729 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 34629245 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Inflammation Mediators
• Vitamins
• Vitamin D
• Cholecalciferol
• 25-hydroxyvitamin D

Topics

• Aged
• Austria
• Biomarkers (blood)
• Cholecalciferol (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Dietary Supplements (adverse effects)
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension (blood, diagnosis, drug therapy, immunology)
• Inflammation Mediators (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Vitamin D (analogs & derivatives, blood)
• Vitamin D Deficiency (blood, diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Vitamins (adverse effects, therapeutic use)