title: Patients with congestive heart failure and healthy controls differ in vitamin D-associated lifestyle factors.
abstract: We have recently hypothesized that low vitamin D status may contribute to the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure (CHF). This study was aimed at evaluating, in a pilot study, whether CHF patients have indications for a low vitamin D status during earlier periods of their lives. We performed a case-controlled study in 150 CHF patients and 150 controls. Study participants had to answer a questionnaire that included several items concerning vitamin D-associated lifestyle factors during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. A vitamin D score was constructed. This score takes into consideration that ultraviolet-B (UVB) exposure is the major vitamin D source for humans and that those lifestyle factors, which are associated with regular UVB exposure, can guarantee an adequate vitamin D status at best. The vitamin D score was significantly higher in controls than in patients (p < 0.001). Compared with the controls, more patients lived in large cities (p < 0.001), fewer patients were members of a sport club (p < 0.001), and fewer patients had summer holidays every year (p < 0.01). Patients also reported significantly less alcohol consumption during adulthood than controls (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that CHF patients and controls differed in several vitamin D-associated lifestyle factors and in alcohol consumption during earlier periods of their lives.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Thorax- und Kardiovaskularchirurgie, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Georgstrasse 11, D-32545 Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. azittermann@hdz-nrw.de
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zittermann
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Stefanie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Schleithoff
authors.forename: Gero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tenderich
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Reiner
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koerfer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013177:Sports; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*