Meta-analysis of All-Cause Mortality According to Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D

We examined the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH] D) and all-cause mortality. We searched biomedical databases for articles that assessed 2 or more categories of 25(OH) D from January 1, 1966, to January 15, 2013. We identified 32 studies and pooled the data. The hazard ratio for all-cause mortality comparing the lowest (0-9 nanograms per milliliter [ng/mL]) to the highest (> 30 ng/mL) category of 25(OH) D was 1.9 (95% confidence interval = 1.6, 2.2; P < .001). Serum 25 (OH) D concentrations less than or equal to 30 ng/mL were associated with higher all-cause mortality than concentrations greater than 30 ng/mL (P < .01). Our findings agree with a National Academy of Sciences report, except the cutoff point for all-cause mortality reduction in this analysis was greater than 30 ng/mL rather than greater than 20 ng/mL.