The effect of vitamin D supplementation on hypertension in non-CKD populations: A systemic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the vitamin D supplementation on blood pressure control by a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Randomized controlled clinical trials were analyzed, which date from eight studies in databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Clinical trials, China Integrated Knowledge Resources Database and the Cochrane library.

Results: Total 917 patients from eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs), treatment with vitamin D for more than 3months were analyzed. Meta-analysis showed that vitamin D supplementation slightly reduced the systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 1.964mmHg (95% CI, 0.362-3.566; P=0.016), but not lowered diastolic blood pressure (SMD: -0.087, 95% CI, -0.208-0.033; P=0.155). Subgroup analysis also showed that sBP lowering by vitamin D supplementation was not dose-dependent. Comparison to placebo, there is also no statistical difference in SBP lowering by vitamin D supplementation.

Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that vitamin D is not an antihypertensive agent although it has a moderate SBP lowering effect. More RCTs are required to observe the role of vitamin D plus other antihypertensive drugs in blood pressure control, and define the optimum dose, dosing interval, and type of vitamin D to administer.

Keywords: Hypertension; Meta-analysis; Systemic review; Vitamin D.