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Cardiovascular effects of cholecalciferol treatment in dialysis patients--a randomized controlled trial

Frank H Mose1, Henrik Vase, Thomas Larsen

  • 1University Clinic in Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medical Research and University of Aarhus, Holstebro Hospital, Holstebro, Denmark. frchri@rm.dk.

BMC Nephrology
|March 26, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin D supplementation did not improve cardiovascular health in dialysis patients. This study found no significant changes in blood pressure, arterial stiffness, or cardiac function after six months of cholecalciferol treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Patients undergoing chronic dialysis face a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.
  • Observational studies link low vitamin D to adverse cardiovascular outcomes and elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP).
  • The causal relationship between vitamin D and cardiovascular health in dialysis patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of cholecalciferol supplementation on cardiac function in dialysis patients.
  • To determine if vitamin D treatment can reduce blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave velocity (PWV).
  • To test the hypothesis that cholecalciferol improves cardiovascular parameters in patients on chronic dialysis.

Main Methods:

  • A 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 50 chronic dialysis patients.
  • Intervention involved daily cholecalciferol (75 μg or 3000 IU) or placebo.
  • Assessments included echocardiography, 24-hour ambulatory BP, PWV, augmentation index (AIx), central BP (cBP), and BNP levels.

Main Results:

  • Cholecalciferol supplementation increased left ventricular (LV) volume but did not alter LV or left atrial structure.
  • No significant improvements were observed in LV systolic or diastolic function, PWV, AIx, cBP, or BNP levels in either group.
  • While 24-hour BP decreased in the placebo group, the cholecalciferol group showed a similar trend without a statistically significant difference between treatments.

Conclusions:

  • Six months of cholecalciferol treatment did not yield significant improvements in 24-hour BP, arterial stiffness, or cardiac function in patients on chronic dialysis.
  • The study did not establish a causal link between vitamin D supplementation and improved cardiovascular outcomes in this patient population.
  • Further research may be needed to explore different dosages, durations, or patient subgroups for vitamin D supplementation in dialysis patients.
Abstract

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