Interaction of Vitamin D and Smoking on Inflammatory Markers in the Urban Elderly

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OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological studies have reported that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammatory disease. Smoking is a well-known risk factor for inflammation. However, few studies have investigated the interactive effect of vitamin D deficiency and smoking on inflammation. This study aims to investigate the interaction of vitamin D and smoking with inflammatory markers in the urban elderly.

METHODS: We used data from the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel Study, which began in August 2008 and ended in August 2010, and included 560 Koreans ≥60 years old living in Seoul. Data was collected via questionnaires that included items about smoking status at the first visit. Vitamin D levels, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) counts were repeatedly measured up to three times.

RESULTS: The association of vitamin D and hs-CRP was significant after adjusting for known confounders (β=-0.080, p=0.041). After separate analysis by smoking status, the association of vitamin D deficiency and hs-CRP in smokers was stronger than that in nonsmokers (smokers: β=-0.375, p=0.013; non-smokers: β=-0.060, p=0.150). Smoking status was an effect modifier that changed the association between vitamin D deficiency and hs-CRP (interaction estimate: β=-0.254, p=0.032). Vitamin D was not significantly associated with WBC count (β=0.003, p=0.805).

CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with hs-CRP in the urban elderly. Smoking status was an effect modifier of this association. Vitamin D deficiency was not significantly associated with WBC count.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
Volume48
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)249-256
Number of pages8
ISSN1975-8375
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • 25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2/blood, Aged, Biomarkers/blood, Body Mass Index, C-Reactive Protein/analysis, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Leukocyte Count, Male, Middle Aged, Smoking, Urban Population, Vitamin D/blood, Vitamin D Deficiency/diagnosis

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