Association between Vitamin D Status and Mortality among Adults with Diabetic Kidney Disease

Emerging evidence demonstrates that vitamin D status contributes to the incidence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the causal relationships between vitamin D and mortality among individuals with DKD are inconclusive. Our study is aimed at exploring the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and mortality among adults with DKD. Research Design and Methods. Our study included 1,202 adult participants with DKD from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2014. Cox and competing-risks regression were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for associations between 25(OH)D concentrations and survival.

The overall mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 55.9 ± 26.3. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l), insufficiency group (50 ≤ 25(OH)D < 75 nmol/l), and sufficiency group (25(OH)D ≥ 75 nmol/l) were observed in 552 (45.9%), 409 (34.0%), and 241 (20.0%) participants, respectively. Higher levels of vitamin D were significantly associated with improved all-cause and nonaccident- and malignant neoplasm-cause mortality among individuals with DKD after adjusting for the potential confounding factors.

We observed widespread vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in DKD patients. Higher 25(OH)D values were significantly correlated with lower risk of mortality after adjusting for confounding variables.