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Published on: September 21, 2018
25-hydroxyvitamin D and its relationship with autonomic dysfunction using time- and frequency-domain parameters of
Young Jin Tak1, Jeong Gyu Lee2, Yun Jin Kim3
1Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, 602-739 Busan, Korea. 03141998@hanmail.net.
Insights
Low vitamin D levels are linked to reduced heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy adults. This finding may explain the increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk observed in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Reduced heart rate variability (HRV) and hypovitaminosis D are independently linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- The specific impact of vitamin D on HRV remains underexplored in scientific literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and HRV indices in a healthy adult population.
- To determine if vitamin D deficiency correlates with altered autonomic nervous system function as measured by HRV.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 176 healthy subjects (103 males, 73 females).
- Measurement of serum 25(OH)D and various HRV parameters (SDNN, RMSSD, TP, VLF, LF, HF) from 5-min ECG recordings.
- Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were employed, adjusting for relevant covariates.
Main Results:
- Serum 25(OH)D showed a positive correlation with SDNN (β = 0.240, p < 0.002) and LF (β = 0.144, p = 0.044).
- Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 15 ng/mL) was significantly associated with decreased SDNN (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.32-7.14; p = 0.014).
Conclusions:
- Lower vitamin D levels are associated with reduced HRV in healthy adults.
- This association suggests a potential mechanism linking hypovitaminosis D to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Abstract:
Previous studies have demonstrated that reduced heart rate variability (HRV) and hypovitaminosis D are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few reports have investigated the effects of vitamin D on HRV. This cross-sectional study analyzed serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and HRV indices using 5-min R-R interval recordings with an automatic three-channel electrocardiography in healthy subjects (103 males and 73 females). Standard deviation of N-N interval (SDNN), square root of mean squared differences of successive N-N intervals (RMSSD), total power (TP), very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF) were reported. The mean age of subjects was 55.3 ± 11.3 years and the mean 25(OH)D level was 21.2 ± 9.9 ng/mL. In a multiple linear regression model, 25(OH)D was positively correlated with SDNN (β = 0.240, p < 0.002), and LF (β = 0.144, p = 0.044). Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 15 ng/mL) was associated with decreased SDNN (<30 m/s) (OR, 3.07; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.32-7.14; p = 0.014) after adjusting for covariates. We found that lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with lower HRV, suggesting a possible explanation for the higher risk of CVD in populations with hypovitaminosis D.
