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No effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum fibrinogen concentrations in adults aged ≥64 years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 June 2010

M. S. Barnes ,
L. K. Forsythe ,
G. Horigan ,
M. P. Bonham ,
E. M. Duffy ,
T. R. Hill ,
A. J. Lucey ,
K. D. Cashman ,
M. Kiely  and
J. J. Strain
...Show all authors
M. S. Barnes
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
L. K. Forsythe
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
G. Horigan
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
M. P. Bonham
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
E. M. Duffy
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
T. R. Hill
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland
A. J. Lucey
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland
K. D. Cashman
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland
M. Kiely
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland
J. J. Strain
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
J. M. W. Wallace
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA
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Abstract

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High serum concentration of the acute phase protein fibrinogen is associated with tissue inflammation and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Low vitamin D status is associated with an increased risk of CVD and the active form of the vitamin, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, is a potent immunomodulator. Furthermore, vitamin D supplementation has been shown to reduce serum concentrations of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein in vitamin D deficient individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum fibrinogen concentrations in a group of apparently healthy adults aged ≥64 years recruited in Cork and Coleraine.

A total of 202 individuals (males, n=81; females, n=121) were randomly assigned to receive either 5, 10 or 15 μg vitamin D3/d or placebo for 22 weeks. Serum vitamin D status (25-hydroyvitamin D (25(OH)D)) and fibrinogen concentrations were measured at baseline and post intervention using commercially available ELISA kits.

Vitamin D status did not significantly correlate with serum fibrinogen concentrations at baseline or post intervention. One-way analysis of covariance (adjusted for age, sex, centre, body mass index and baseline concentrations) revealed that while vitamin D supplementation significantly increased vitamin D status, it did not alter fibrinogen concentrations.

25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

* Values are median (IQR).

† Effect of treatment assessed on log transformed data by ANCOVA. Different superscript letters denote significant differences between treatment groups (ANOVA).

In conclusion, vitamin D supplementation had a significant dose-response effect on vitamin D status, but did not affect serum concentrations of the inflammatory marker fibrinogen in healthy older adults. These findings concur with previous research in vitamin D deficient adults. However, it has been suggested that 25(OH)D concentrations >100 nmol/l may be required for modulation of immune responses; concentrations higher than those observed in the current study, even after vitamin D supplementation.

This work was supported by the UK Food Standards Agency.