Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Levels and Blood Pressure Among Adolescents in Two Resource-Limited Settings in Peru

Am J Hypertens. 2015 Aug;28(8):1017-23. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpu264. Epub 2015 Jan 19.

Abstract

Introduction: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) deficiency (<50 nmol/l or 20 ng/ml) has been associated with increased blood pressure (BP) in observational studies. A paucity of data on this relationship is available in Latin American or child populations. This study investigates the association between 25OHD levels and BP in adolescents at risk for vitamin D deficiency in 2 Peruvian settings.

Methods: In a population-based study of 1,441 Peruvian adolescents aged 13-15 years, 1,074 (75%) provided a serum blood sample for 25OHD analysis and BP measurements. Relationships between 25OHD and BP metrics were assessed using multiple linear regressions, adjusted for anthropometrics and sociodemographic factors.

Results: 25OHD deficiency was associated with an elevated diastolic BP (DBP) (1.09 mm Hg increase, 95% confidence interval: 0.04 to 2.14; P = 0.04) compared to nondeficient adolescents. Systolic BP (SBP) trended to increase with vitamin D deficiency (1.30 mm Hg increase, 95% confidence interval: -0.13 to 2.72; P = 0.08). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was also greater in adolescents with 25OHD (1.16 mm Hg increase, 95% confidence interval: 0.10 to 2.22; P = 0.03). SBP was found to demonstrate a U-shaped relationship with 25OHD, while DBP and MAP demonstrated inverse J-shaped relationships with serum 25OHD status. The association between 25OHD deficiency and BP was not different across study sites (all P ≥ 0.19).

Discussion: Adolescents deficient in 25OHD demonstrated increased DBP and MAP and a trend toward increased SBP, when compared to nondeficient subjects. 25OHD deficiency early in life was associated with elevated BP metrics, which may predispose risk of hypertension later in adulthood.

Keywords: 25OHD deficiency; adolescents; blood pressure; cardiovascular disease; diastolic blood pressure; hypertension; mean arterial pressure; systolic blood pressure..

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Arterial Pressure*
  • Asthma / epidemiology
  • Blood Pressure
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Resources
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology*
  • Income / statistics & numerical data
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Overweight / epidemiology
  • Peru / epidemiology
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Tobacco Smoke Pollution / statistics & numerical data
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology*

Substances

  • Tobacco Smoke Pollution
  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D