Does serum vitamin D level affect the association between cardiovascular health and cognition? Results of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center (CMERC) study

Abstract

Background and purpose: Few studies have assessed the role of vitamin D in the association between cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function. Here, the aim was to investigate the association between cardiovascular health (CVH) and cognitive function according to vitamin D level in a middle-aged Korean population.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 840 men and 1811 women (mean age 57.2 years) from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center study baseline enrolment (2013-2018). Life's Simple 7 tools from the American Heart Association were used to assess CVH. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Estimation for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), and the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was measured.

Results: In the adjusted generalized linear regression models, no significant association between a high Life's Simple 7 score (4-7 metric at optimal level) and MMSE-DS score (β = 0.01, P = 0.93) was found. Amongst men with a high vitamin D level, the high Life's Simple 7 score group showed a significantly higher MMSE-DS score (β = 0.48, P = 0.03). However, amongst men in the low vitamin D group, the association was opposite with no statistical significance (β = -0.23, P = 0.08). In women, the results were similar, but both strata according to vitamin D level showed no statistical significance.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that vitamin D is an effect modifier in the association between CVH and cognition, especially in men.