Daily Supplementation with 4000 IU Vitamin D3 for Three Years Does Not Modify Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure: The Effect of Vitamin D on Mortality in Heart Failure Trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to investigate the effect of a moderately high vitamin D dose on lipid parameters and biochemical markers of vascular calcification (VC) in patients with established cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We included in this pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial 161 patients with advanced heart failure and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations < 75 nmol/L (vitamin D group: n = 80; placebo group: n = 81), who received a daily vitamin D3 supplement of 4,000 IU for 3 years. We assessed between-group differences of the lipid parameters total-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides, and the VC markers fetuin-A and non-phosphorylated undercarboxylated matrix gla protein (MGP) at study termination, with adjustment for baseline values. RESULTS: Lipid parameters, the percentage of patients with dyslipoproteinemia, and VC markers did not differ significantly between groups at study termination (p values: 0.395-0.939). Likewise, vitamin D achieved no significant treatment effect on these markers in subgroup analyses in patients with 25OHD concentrations < 30 nmol/L, nonusers of lipid-lowering drugs, or diabetic patients (p values: 0.245-0.998). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that vitamin D does not improve the lipid profile and does not influence the calcification inhibitors fetuin-A and non-phosphorylated undercarboxylated MGP in patients with advanced heart failure.

Vitamin D supplementation does not prevent the testosterone decline in males with advanced heart failure: the EVITA trial.

PURPOSE: Observational studies indicate a positive association between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and testosterone (T) concentrations. Because low 25OHD concentrations and T deficiency are considered to be a generalized phenomenon in patients with advanced heart failure (HF), we aimed to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation has beneficial effects on T indices in these patients. METHODS: In a pre-specified secondary analysis of the EVITA (effect of vitamin D on mortality in heart failure) randomized controlled trial, we analyzed in male subjects with 25OHD concentrations < 75 nmol/L the effect of a daily vitamin D3 supplement of 4000 IU for 3 years (n = 71) vs. placebo (n = 62) on total T (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), free T (fT), and bioactive T (BAT). We assessed changes from baseline until study termination and between-group differences at study termination. RESULTS: 25OHD increased in the placebo group from 36.6 nmol/L by 9.2 nmol/L (95% CI 3.2-15.1 nmol/L; P = 0.003) and in the vitamin D group from 36.5 nmol/L by 63.9 nmol/L (95% CI 52.6-75.3 nmol/L; P < 0.001), with a significant between-group difference at study termination (P < 0.001). TT and SHBG concentrations did not change significantly, neither in the placebo group nor in the vitamin D group (P = 0.845-0.082), but concentrations of fT and BAT declined significantly in both groups (P = 0.025-0.008). At study termination, there were no between-group differences in TT (P = 0.612), SHBG (P = 0.393), fT (P = 0.861), or BAT (P = 0.960). CONCLUSIONS: In male patients with advanced HF and low 25OHD concentrations, a daily vitamin D3 supplement of 4000 IU for 3 years did not prevent the decline in testosterone indices.

Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Renin and Aldosterone Concentrations in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure: The EVITA Trial.

OBJECTIVE: 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25([OH]2D) is considered to be a negative endogenous regulator of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), but the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the RAAS is inconclusive. DESIGN: In this prespecified secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, we assessed in 165 patients with heart failure (vitamin D group: n = 83; placebo group: n = 82) the effect of three years of vitamin D supplementation with 4000 IU daily on parameters of the RAAS (renin and aldosterone) and on circulating 1,25(OH)2D, plasma phosphate, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23. We assessed age- and baseline-adjusted between-group differences at study termination. RESULTS: Almost all patients were under treatment with beta-blockers, inhibitors of the RAAS, and diuretics. Initially, the frequency of concentrations above the laboratory-specific reference range (renin: >23.9 mIU/L; aldosterone: >232 ng/L) in the vitamin D and placebo group was 87.7% and 92.7%, respectively (renin), and 24.1% and 32.5%, respectively (aldosterone). Vitamin D increased adjusted 1,25(OH)2D concentrations significantly (mean treatment effect and 95% CI: 18.3 pmol/L,7.3 to 29.3 pmol/L; P < 0.001) but had no significant effects on phosphate (0.18 mmol/L, -0.00 to 0.35 mmol/L; P = 0.051), FGF-23 (685 RU/mL, -213 to 1585 RU/mL; P = 0.134), renin (312 mIU/L, -279 to 902 ng/L; P = 0.298), or aldosterone (-0.19 ng/L, -5.09 to 4.70 ng/L; P = 0.938). Vitamin D supplementation was, however, associated with an increase in renin concentrations in the subgroup with baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D below 30 nmol/L (n = 67; 1365 mIU/, 343 to 2386 mIU/L; P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced heart failure treated according to evidence-based guidelines, vitamin D supplementation did not significantly influence parameters of the RAAS in the entire study cohort but was associated with an increase in plasma renin concentrations in the subgroup with low baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations.

Effect of vitamin D on all-cause mortality in heart failure (EVITA): a 3-year randomized clinical trial with 4000 IU vitamin D daily.

AIMS: Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels <75 nmol/L are associated with a nonlinear increase in mortality risk. Such 25OHD levels are common in heart failure (HF). We therefore examined whether oral vitamin D supplementation reduces mortality in patients with advanced HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four hundred HF patients with 25OHD levels <75 nmol/L were randomized to receive 4000 IU vitamin D daily or matching placebo for 3 years. Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Key secondary outcome measures included hospitalization, resuscitation, mechanical circulatory support (MCS) implant, high urgent listing for heart transplantation, heart transplantation, and hypercalcaemia. Initial 25OHD levels were on average <40 nmol/L, remained around 40 nmol/L in patients assigned to placebo and plateaued around 100 nmol/L in patients assigned to vitamin D. Mortality was not different in patients receiving vitamin D (19.6%; n = 39) or placebo (17.9%; n = 36) with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.09 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69-1.71; P = 0.726]. The need for MCS implant was however greater in patients assigned to vitamin D (15.4%, n = 28) vs. placebo [9.0%, n = 15; HR: 1.96 (95% CI: 1.04-3.66); P = 0.031]. Other secondary clinical endpoints were similar between groups. The incidence of hypercalcaemia was 6.2% (n = 10) and 3.1% (n = 5) in patients receiving vitamin D or placebo (P = 0.192). CONCLUSION: A daily vitamin D dose of 4000 IU did not reduce mortality in patients with advanced HF but was associated with a greater need for MCS implants. Data indicate caution regarding long-term supplementation with moderately high vitamin D doses. TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: clinicaltrials.gov Idenitfier: NCT01326650.

Vitamin D status and the risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in cardiac surgery.

AIMS: A significant proportion of cardiac surgical patients develop critical post-operative complications. We aimed to investigate the association of pre-operative 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with major cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in cardiac surgical patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: From January 2010 to August 2011, we consecutively measured circulating 25(OH)D in 4418 operated patients. Of the study cohort, 38.0% had deficient 25(OH)D values (<30 nmol/L) and additional 32.3% had insufficient values (30-49.9 nmol/L), whereas only 3.1% had values >100 nmol/L. The incidence of MACCE was 11.5%. In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, the odds ratio of MACCE at deficient, inadequate, and high 25(OH)D levels was 2.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31-3.79], 1.73 (95% CI: 1.01-2.96) and 2.34 (95% CI: 1.12-4.89), respectively, compared with 25(OH)D levels of 75-100 nmol/L. A U-shaped association with circulating 25(OH)D was also present for duration of mechanical ventilatory support and intensive care unit stay. Multivariable-adjusted 6- and 12-month mortality were higher in patients with deficient 25(OH)D levels compared with patients with 25(OH)D levels of 75-100 nmol/L. CONCLUSION: Deficient 25(OH)D levels are prevalent in cardiac surgical patients in Central Europe and are independently associated with the risk of MACCE. Further research should clarify the potential of vitamin D supplements in reducing cardiovascular risk in vitamin D-deficient patients and also the mechanisms leading to adverse effects on the cardiovascular system in the small group of patients with 25(OH)D levels >100 nmol/L.