Associations between vitamin K status and haemostatic and inflammatory biomarkers in community-dwelling adults. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
Vitamin K is integral to haemostatic function, and in vitro and animal experiments suggest that vitamin K can suppress production of inflammatory cytokines. To test the hypothesis that higher vitamin K status is associated with lower haemostatic activation and inflammation in community-dwelling adults, we analysed the cross-sectional association between serum phylloquinone (vitamin K1) with haemostatic and inflammatory biomarkers in 662 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) [mean (SD) age=62 (10) years; 46% female; 37% Caucasian, 25% African-American, 25% Hispanic, 13% Chinese-American]. Following adjustment for demographic and lifestyle characteristics, medication use, triglycerides and body mass index, those in the highest quartile of serum phylloquinone had significantly lower circulating interleukin-6 [adjusted mean (SEM) pmol/l: quartile 4 (Q4)=1.22 (0.07), quartile 1 (Q1)=1.45 (0.07); p-trend<0.01], C-reactive protein [adjusted mean (SEM) mg/dl: Q4=1.57 (0.11), Q1=2.08 (0.18); p-trend=0.02], soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [adjusted mean (SEM) ng/ml: Q4=247 (11), Q1=288 (11); p-trend=0.02], and plasmin-antiplasmin complex [adjusted mean (SEM) nmol/l: Q4=4.02 (0.1), Q1=4.31 (0.1), p-trend=0.04]. We detected an interaction between age and serum phylloquinone with respect to factor VIII and D-dimer (interaction p-values=0.03 and 0.09, respectively). Among participants ≥70 years, serum phylloquinone was inversely associated with factor VIII activity (p-trend=0.06) and positively associated with D-dimer (p-trend=0.01), but was not associated with either marker among participants <70 years (both p≥0.38). In contrast, dietary phylloquinone intake was not associated with any inflammatory or haemostatic biomarker evaluated (all p-trend>0.11). These findings are consistent with laboratory-based studies that suggest a possible anti-inflammatory role for vitamin K. Whether or not these associations predict clinical outcomes linked to elevated inflammation or haemostatic activation remains to be determined.
Kyla Shea, PhD, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA, E-mail: kyla.shea@tufts.edu.
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D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014481:United States; D010837:Vitamin K 1 / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D010837:Vitamin K 1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
Haemostasis; epidemiological studies; inflammation; nutrition