Meta-analysis across Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium provides evidence for an association of serum vitamin D with pulmonary function

Authors: XU, JIAYI - Cornell University; BARTZ, TRACI - University Of Washington; CHITTOOR, GEETHA - Geisinger Medical Center; EIRIKSDOTTIR, GUDNY - Icelandic Heart Association; MANICHAIKUL, ANI - University Of Virginia; SUN, FANGUI - Boston University; TERZIKHAN, NATALIE - Erasmus Medical Center; ZHOU, XIA - University Of Minnesota; BOOTH, SARAH - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University; BRUSSELLE, GUY - Ghent University; DE BOER, IAN - University Of Washington; FORNAGE, MYRIAM - University Of Texas; FRAZIER-WOOD, ALEXIS - Baylor College; GRAFF, MARIAELISA - University Of North Carolina; GUDNASON, VILMUNDUR - University Of Iceland; HARRIS, TAMARA - National Institutes Of Health (NIH); HOFMAN, ALBERT - Netherlands Genomics Initiative; HOU, RUIXUE - University Of North Carolina; HOUSTON, DENISE - Wake Forest University; JACOBS JR, DAVID - University Of Minnesota; KRITCHEVSKY, STEPHEN - Wake Forest University; LATOURELLE, JEANNE - Boston University; LAMAITRE, ROZENN - University Of Washington; LUTSEY, PAMELA - University Of Minnesota; O'CONNOR, GEORGE - Boston University; OELSNER, ELIZABETH - Columbia University - New York; PANKOW, JAMES - University Of Minnesota; PSATY, BRUCE - University Of Washington; ROHDE, REBECCA - University Of North Carolina; RICH, STEPHEN - University Of Virginia; ROTTER, JEROME - Harbor-Ucla Medical Center; SMITH, LEWIS - Northwestern University; STRICKER, BRUNO - Erasmus Medical Center; VORUGANTI, V. SAROJA - University Of North Carolina; WANG, THOMAS - Vanderbilt University; ZILLIKENS, M. CAROLA - Erasmus Medical Center; BARR, R. GRAHAM - Columbia University - New York; DUPUIS, JOSEE - Boston University; GHARIB, SINA - University Of Washington; LAHOUSSE, LIES - Ghent University; LONDON, STEPHANIE - National Institutes Of Health (NIH); NORTH, KARI - University Of North Carolina; SMITH, ALBERT - Icelandic Heart Association; STEFFEN, LYN - University Of Minnesota; HANCOCK, DANA - Rti International, Usa; CASSANO, PATRICIA - Cornell University

Submitted to: British Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/9/2018
Publication Date: 11/28/2018
Citation: Xu, J., Bartz, T.M., Chittoor, G., Eiriksdottir, G., Manichaikul, A.W., Sun, F., Terzikhan, N., Zhou, X., Booth, S.L., Brusselle, G.G., de Boer, I.H., Fornage, M., Frazier-Wood, A.C., Graff, M., Gudnason, V., Harris, T.B., Hofman, A., Hou, R., Houston, D.K., Jacobs Jr, D.R., Kritchevsky, S.B., Latourelle, J., Lamaitre, R.N., Lutsey, P.L., O'Connor, G., Oelsner, E.C., Pankow, J.S., Psaty, B.M., Rohde, R.R., Rich, S.S., Rotter, J.I., Smith, L.J., Stricker, B.H., Voruganti, V., Wang, T.J., Zillikens, M., Barr, R., Dupuis, J., Gharib, S.A., Lahousse, L., London, S.J., North, K.E., Smith, A.V., Steffen, L.M., Hancock, D.B., Cassano, P.A. 2018. Meta-analysis across Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium provides evidence for an association of serum vitamin D with pulmonary function. British Journal of Nutrition. 120(10):1159-1170. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114518002180.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114518002180

Interpretive Summary: Some studies have reported vitamin D status is associated with pulmonary (lung) function, while others found no association between vitamin D status and pulmonary function. To address these inconsistencies, we conducted a large cross-sectional meta-analysis of the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D, a measure of vitamin D status) and pulmonary function, based on nine cohorts of people with European ancestry and five cohorts of people with African ancestry. The average serum 25(OH)D was higher in people with European Ancestry compared to those with African ancestry. In people with European ancestry and with African ancestry, standard measures of pulmonary function were higher for each nmol/L unit increase in serum 25(OH)D. Among those with European ancestry, the association between serum 25(OH)D was stronger among current and former smokers, compared to those who never smoked. In summary, the 25(OH)D associations with pulmonary function were positive in both ancestries. In those of European ancestry, a stronger association was observed for smokers compared to never smokers, which supports the importance of vitamin D in vulnerable populations.

Technical Abstract: The role that vitamin D plays in pulmonary function remains uncertain. Epidemiological studies reported mixed findings for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]-pulmonary function association. We conducted the largest cross-sectional meta-analysis of the 25(OH)D-pulmonary function association to date, based on nine European ancestry (EA) cohorts (n=22 838) and five African ancestry (AA) cohorts (n=4290) in the CHARGE Consortium. Data were analyzed using linear models by cohort and ancestry. Effect modification by smoking status (current/former/never) was tested. Results were combined using fixed-effects meta-analysis. Mean (SD) serum 25(OH)D was 68 (29) nmol/L for EAs and 49 (21) nmol/L for AAs. For each 1 nmol/L higher 25(OH)D, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) was higher by 1.1 mL in EAs (95% CI: 0.9,1.3; P < 0.0001) and 1.8 mL (95% CI: 1.1,2.5; P < 0.0001) in AAs (Prace difference=0.06), and forced vital capacity (FVC) was higher by 1.3 mL in EAs (95% CI: 1.0,1.6; P < 0.0001) and 1.5 mL (95% CI: 0.8,2.3; P = 0.0001) in AAs (Prace difference=0.56). Among EAs, the 25(OH)D-FVC association was stronger in smokers: per 1nmol/L higher 25(OH)D, FVC was higher by 1.7 mL (95% CI: 1.1,2.3) for current smokers and 1.7 mL (95% CI: 1.2,2.1) for former smokers, compared to 0.8 mL (95% CI: 0.4,1.2) for never smokers. In summary, the 25(OH)D associations with FEV1 and FVC were positive in both ancestries. In EAs, a stronger association was observed for smokers compared to never smokers, which supports the importance of vitamin D in vulnerable populations.