Vitamin K and vitamin D status: associations with inflammatory markers in the Framingham Offspring Study

Am J Epidemiol. 2008 Feb 1;167(3):313-20. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwm306. Epub 2007 Nov 15.

Abstract

In vitro data suggest protective roles for vitamins K and D in inflammation. To examine associations between vitamins K and D and inflammation in vivo, the authors used multiple linear regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, triglyceride concentrations, use of aspirin, use of lipid-lowering medication, season, menopausal status, and hormone replacement therapy. Participants were from the Framingham Offspring Study (1997-2001; n = 1,381; mean age = 59 years; 52% women). Vitamin K status, measured by plasma phylloquinone concentration and phylloquinone intake, was inversely associated with circulating inflammatory markers as a group and with several individual inflammatory biomarkers (p < 0.01). Percentage of undercarboxylated osteocalcin, a functional measure of vitamin K status, was not associated with overall inflammation but was associated with C-reactive protein (p < 0.01). Although plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D was inversely associated with urinary isoprostane concentration, an indicator of oxidative stress (p < 0.01), overall associations between vitamin D status and inflammation were inconsistent. The observation that high vitamin K status was associated with lower concentrations of inflammatory markers suggests that a possible protective role for vitamin K in inflammation merits further investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Coronary Disease
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / blood*
  • Inflammation Mediators / blood
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Analysis
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin K / blood*
  • Vitamins / blood*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D