ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D plays an important role in a broad range of organ functions, including the cardiovascular system. Only one study has tested the association between vitamin D deficiency and arrhythmia and it found no association. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between vitamin D deficiency and the type of atrial fibrillation (AF) and complications to AF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 258 patients were consecutively included from March 2009 to February 2011. All in- and out-patients in the Department of Cardiology at Hvidovre Hospital were invited to participate, provided they had electrocardiographically documented AF. Patients with dementia or terminal illness were excluded. 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD) was measured with a chemiluminescence assay (Liaison from DiaSorin, Stillwater, Minnesota, USA). RESULTS: No association between vitamin D level and type of AF was found. Furthermore, no association between vitamin D deficiency and ischaemic heart disease, stroke or acute myocardial infarction was found. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with low age (p = 0.02) and gender with a higher proportion of females having the optimal level of 25 OHD (p = 0.0005). CONCLUSION: Other studies have found a beneficial effect of vitamin D on cardiovascular diseases, but we found no association between vitamin D deficiency and the type of AF or complications to AF. Further investigation is necessary to determine whether vitamin D supplementation improves cardiovascular outcomes in patients with AF. FUNDING: The study has received financial support from several private and one public fund. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was approved by the National Ethics Committee (Project-ID: H-C-2009-014).
