ARS | Publication request: Vitamin D status is note related to development of atrial fibrillation in the community

Submitted to: American Heart Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 20, 2011
Publication Date: September 1, 2011
Citation: Rienstra, M., Cheng, S., Larson, M., Mccabe, E., Booth, S., Jacques, P., Lubitz, S., Yin, X., Levy, D., Magnani, J., Ellinor, P., Benjamin, E., Wang, T. 2011. Vitamin D status is note related to development of atrial fibrillation in the community. American Heart Journal. 162(3):538-541.

Interpretive Summary: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and is an important cause of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D is an emerging risk factor in cardiovascular disease, and vitamin D status is modifiable. Thus, we sought to investigate whether vitamin D status predisposed to the development of AF in a community-based sample. We evaluated the relation between vitamin D status and development of AF in 1.289 men and 1641 women without existing AF, who participated in the Framingham Heart Study. The participants in this study had an average age of 65 years. Vitamin D status was assessed by measuring circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. When studied for an average of 9.9 years, 425 participants (15%) developed AF during the study. However, 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with development of AF even after taking into account the age of the participants and the season the blood samples were collected. In our community-based sample, vitamin D status was not related to development of AF. Our data suggest that vitamin D deficiency does not promote the development of AF.

Technical Abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Vitamin D is an emerging risk factor in cardiovascular disease, and vitamin D status is modifiable. Thus, we sought to investigate whether vitamin D status predisposed to the development of AF in a community-based sample. We evaluated the relation between vitamin D status and development of AF in 2,930 participants of the Framingham Heart Study, Massachusetts, United States, without prevalent AF. The mean age was 65±11 years and 56% were women. Vitamin D status was assessed by measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. Multivariable Cox regression models were adjusted for AF risk factors and season. During a mean follow up of 9.9 years, 425 participants (15%) developed AF. In Cox proportional hazards models, 25(OH)D was not associated with development of AF, with a multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio of 0.99 per SD increment in 25(OH)D levels (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 1.10; p=0.81). Also, no relation was found in models including 25(OH)D as a dichotomous variable (above and below the cohort-specific 20th percentile; p=0.59). In our community-based sample, vitamin D status was not related to incident AF. Our data suggest that vitamin D deficiency does not promote the development of AF in the ambulatory setting.