title: Vitamin D and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether low vitamin D concentrations are associated with an increased risk of incident all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand six hundred fifty-eight elderly ambulatory adults free from dementia, cardiovascular disease, and stroke who participated in the US population-based Cardiovascular Health Study between 1992-1993 and 1999 were included. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry from blood samples collected in 1992-1993. Incident all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease status were assessed during follow-up using National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a mean follow-up of 5.6 years, 171 participants developed all-cause dementia, including 102 cases of Alzheimer disease. Using Cox proportional hazards models, the multivariate adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) for incident all-cause dementia in participants who were severely 25(OH)D deficient (<25 nmol/L) and deficient (≥25 to <50 nmol/L) were 2.25 (95% CI: 1.23-4.13) and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.06-2.21) compared to participants with sufficient concentrations (≥50 nmol/L). The multivariate adjusted hazard ratios for incident Alzheimer disease in participants who were severely 25(OH)D deficient and deficient compared to participants with sufficient concentrations were 2.22 (95% CI: 1.02-4.83) and 1.69 (95% CI: 1.06-2.69). In multivariate adjusted penalized smoothing spline plots, the risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease markedly increased below a threshold of 50 nmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a substantially increased risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease. This adds to the ongoing debate about the role of vitamin D in nonskeletal conditions.
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Littlejohns
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Henley
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Iain A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Annweiler
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Beauchet
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Paulo H M
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Bryan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Kestenbaum
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Lewis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Langa
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Oscar L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.affiliation: From the University of Exeter Medical School (T.J.L., W.E.H., I.A.L., K.K., M.S., D.J.L.), Exeter, UK; Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics (C.A., O.B.), Angers University Hospital, Angers, France; Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (P.H.M.C.), Florida International University, Miami; Mailman School of Public Health (L.F.), Columbia University, New York; Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology (B.R.K.), University of Washington, Seattle; Departments of Epidemiology (L.H.K.) and Neurology and Psychiatry (O.L.L.), University of Pittsburgh, PA; Division of General Medicine (K.M.L.), Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Institute for Social Research and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (K.M.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. david.llewellyn@exeter.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Llewellyn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
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