Studies of homocysteine and vitamin D in older men
Abstract
As the world’s population ages, there is an increased prevalence of chronic diseases, which can result in significant disability and consequently, an increased mortality rate. Effective targeting of modifiable risk factors may potentially attenuate the occurrence of these adverse events and improve the quality of life amongst older people. Homocysteine and vitamin D status have been separately linked to several age-related declines. However, there is debate as to whether these biomarkers are merely epiphenomena or whether they do indeed play a role in mediating the development or progression of these health events that occur in old age. Existing findings from epidemiological studies and clinical trials have been inconsistent to date. The aim of this thesis was to explore whether these biomarkers were associated with adverse outcomes in several key domains, including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), frailty, mortality, health-related quality of life, and cancers. The study population comprised community-dwelling men aged 70 years and over who had participated in the longitudinal, population-based Health In Men Study. Levels of total plasma homocysteine and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured by immunoassays in this cohort of older men. The principle of Mendelian randomisation was also undertaken to explore the nature of associations between homocysteine and the outcomes, with the measurement of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism by…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.
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