The effects of vitamin D on all-cause mortality in different diseases: an evidence-map and umbrella review of 116 randomized controlled trials
- PMID: 37426183
- PMCID: PMC10325578
- DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1132528
The effects of vitamin D on all-cause mortality in different diseases: an evidence-map and umbrella review of 116 randomized controlled trials
Abstract
Purpose: To conduct a solid evidence by synthesizing meta-analyses and updated RCTs about the effects of vitamin D on all-cause mortality in different health conditions.
Methods: Data sources: Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar from inception until 25th April, 2022. Study selection: English-language, meta-analyses and updated RCTs assessing the relationships between vitamin D and all-cause mortality. Data synthesis: Information of study characteristics, mortality, supplementation were extracted, estimating with fixed-effects model. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation, and funnel plot was used to assess risk of bias. Main outcomes: All-cause mortality, cancer mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality.
Results: In total of 27 meta-analyses and 19 updated RCTs were selected, with a total of 116 RCTs and 149, 865 participants. Evidence confirms that vitamin D reduces respiratory cancer mortality (RR, 0.56 [95%CI, 0.33 to 0.96]). All-cause mortality is decreased in patients with COVID-19 (RR, 0.54[95%CI, 0.33 to 0.88]) and liver diseases (RR, 0.64 [95%CI, 0.50 to 0.81]), especially in liver cirrhosis (RR, 0.63 [95%CI, 0.50 to 0.81]). As for other health conditions, such as the general health, chronic kidney disease, critical illness, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, sepsis, type 2 diabetes, no significant association was found between vitamin D and all-cause mortality.
Conclusions: Vitamin D may reduce respiratory cancer mortality in respiratory cancer patients and all-cause mortality in COVID-19 and liver disorders' patients. No benefits showed in all-cause mortality after vitamin D intervention among other health conditions. The hypothesis of reduced mortality with vitamin D still requires exploration.
Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=252921, identifier: CRD42021252921.
Keywords: COVID-19; all-cause mortality; patients; umbrella review; vitamin D.
Copyright © 2023 Cao, He, Gong, Wu and He.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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