Vitamin D levels correlate with lymphocyte subsets in elderly patients with age-related diseases

Sci Rep. 2018 May 16;8(1):7708. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26064-6.

Abstract

Hypovitaminosis D is associated with age-related illnesses, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CRVD), cerebrovascular disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In our retrospective observational study, blood samples of elderly healthy controls (n = 461) and patients with age-related diseases (n = 8,621) were subjected to flow-cytometry in order to determine correlations between age-related diseases and cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), CD8, CD3, and CD19 lymphocyte markers, as well as serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 (25(OH)D2) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3). More than 70% of the patients in each disease group had total vitamin D < 20 ng/mL (P < 0.001). In CRVD patients, CD3 and CD19 correlated (P < 0.05) with 25(OH)D3. In CAD patients, CD8, CD4, CD19 and CD4/CD8 correlated (P < 0.05) with 25(OH)D2, and CD8 correlated (P < 0.05) with 25(OH)D3. In T2DM and hypertension patients, CD8, CD3, CD19 and CD4/CD8 correlated with 25(OH)D3. Progressive trends (P < 0.05) towards increased CD8 and CD4/CD8 were observed in vitamin-D-deficient T2DM and hypertension patients. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in CD8 were observed in vitamin-D-deficient CAD patients, whereas significant differences (P < 0.05) in CD8 and CD19 were observed in CRVD patients. Higher CD8 and CD4/CD8 in 25(OH)D-deficient T2DM and hypertension patients suggested a Th1 lymphocyte profile induction. Increases in CD8-positive lymphocytes suggested a similar, less pronounced effect in vitamin-D-deficient CRVD and CAD patients.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / blood*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / immunology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / blood*
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / epidemiology
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / immunology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / blood*
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Hypertension / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Vitamin D / blood*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / immunology
  • Vitamins / blood

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D