title: Vitamin D deficiency, depression course and mortality: Longitudinal results from the Netherlands Study on Depression in Older persons (NESDO).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of vitamin D levels on depression course and remission status after two years, as well as attrition and mortality, in an older cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was part of the Netherlands Study on Depression in Older persons (NESDO), a prospective cohort study. 367 depressed older persons (≥ 60 years) were included. Baseline vitamin D status, reasons for loss to follow up, clinical depression diagnosis at two-year follow up, and six-monthly symptom scores were obtained. Data were analyzed by logistic regression and random coefficient models and adjusted for confounders of vitamin D status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin D had no effect on the course of depression or remission, except for a trend towards lower remission rates in the severely deficient subgroup (25-(OH) vitamin D<25 nmol/l). Patients who died during follow up had significantly lower 25-(OH) vitamin D and 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D levels than patients with continued participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the total sample we found no effect of vitamin D levels on the course of depression or remission rates. However, we did find an effect of lower vitamin D levels on mortality. This strengthens the interpretation of vitamin D deficiency being a marker for poor somatic health status. The trend towards lower remission rates in the severely deficient subgroup raises the question whether this group could benefit from supplementation. Randomized controlled trials are necessary to study this.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Groningen, University Center of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Pro Persona, Wolfheze, The Netherlands. Electronic address: k.s.van.den.berg@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Groningen, University Center of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Pro Persona, Wolfheze, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Radboud M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Marijnissen
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Groningen, University Center of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob H S
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: van den Brink
authors.affiliation: GGNet, Center for Old Age Psychiatry, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naarding
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center/GGZinGeest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hannie C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Comijs
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Groningen, University Center of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Oude Voshaar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: 1,25-(OH)(2) vitamin D; 25-(OH) vitamin D; Course; Depressive disorder; Mortality