Combined Effects of Vitamin D Status, Renal Function and Age on Serum Parathyroid Hormone Levels

Vitamin D status and renal function are well-known independent predictors of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. We aimed to describe the combined effects of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and age on serum PTH levels across the whole clinical spectrum.

We retrieved from our endocrinology center database all PTH measurement between 2012 and 2020 for which a simultaneous measurement of serum 25(OH)D, calcium and creatinine was available. Age, sex and diagnosis were available for all subjects. Intact PTH was measured using the same electrochemiluminescence assay.

There were 6,444 adults and 701 children without a diagnosis of hyper- or hypoparathyroidism or abnormal serum calcium levels. In adults with 25(OH)D≥12 ng/mL multiple regression models showed that serum PTH was negatively correlated with both 25(OH)D and GFR. Regression (-0.68 and -1.59 vs. -0.45 and -0.22 respectively), partial correlation (-0.16 and -0.35 vs. -0.12 and -0.10 respectively) and determination coefficients (0.14 vs. 0.031) were higher in CKD than in normal renal function. In subjects with 25(OH)D<12 ng/mL, GFR was the only significant predictor in those with CKD (β-coefficient=-2.5, r=-0.55) and 25(OH)D was the only significant predictor in those with normal renal function (β-coefficient=-2.05, r=-0.11). Increasing age was associated with higher PTH levels only in those with normal renal function and 25(OH)D≥12 ng/mL.

We showed that declining vitamin D and renal function have additive effects on serum PTH in subjects without vitamin D deficiency. In vitamin D deficient subjects this dependency is stronger but is not additive anymore.