Vitamin D and Mortality in Heart Failure

Effect of Vitamin D on All-cause Mortality in Heart Failure Patients

Despite significant therapeutic improvements, congestive heart failure (CHF) patients still have a poor prognosis. Currently, 5-year survival rates are only 35-50%. There is an accumulating body of evidence from prospective cohort studies that low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among CHF patients. We hypothesize that vitamin D may improve survival in CHF patients. We therefore aimed to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation reduces mortality and increases event-free survival in end-stage CHF patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• > 18 years of age and < 80 years of age
• New York Heart Association Functional Class > = II

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy and lactation
• sarcoidosis
• daily vitamin D intake > 20 micrograms
• serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D > 30 ng/ml
• hypercalcemia