• Ana María Leiva-Ordóñez, María Adela Martínez-Sanguinetti, Fanny Petermann-Rocha, Gabriela Nazar, Claudia Troncoso-Pantoja, Fabián Lanuza, Nicole Lasserre-Laso, Carlos Celis-Morales, and en representación del Consorcio de Investigación ELHOC - Chile (Epidemiology of Lifestyle and Health Outcomes in Chile).
• Instituto de Anatomía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
• Rev Med Chil. 2023 Apr 1; 151 (4): 469477469-477.

IntroductionRecent studies have shown that low vitamin D levels constitute a potential risk factor for the development of cognitive impairment. The present study aimed to investigate the association between vitamin D levels and the suspicion of cognitive impairment in Chilean older adults.Material And MethodWe performed a cross-sectional study, including 1,287 participants ≥ 65 years (56.8% were women, age range 65 to 97 years) from the Chilean National Health Survey. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Participants were classified into three groups according to their vitamin D levels (> 29 ng/ml sufficient, 12-29 ng/ml deficit, and < 12 ng/ml severe deficit). The association between vitamin D levels and cognitive impairment was explored using logistic regression analysis, adjusted for confounding factors.ResultsThe prevalence of vitamin D deficit and vitamin D severe deficit was 37.7% and 21.0%, respectively. Compared to older adults with sufficient levels of vitamin D, those with severe deficits had a 94% (OR: 1.94 [95% IC: 1.27; 1.66], p = 0.002) higher odds of cognitive impairment (unadjusted model). Adjusting according to sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, adiposity, sunlight exposure, and multimorbidity slightly attenuated the association to 61% (OR: 1.61 [95%IC: 1.03; 2.19], p = 0.046), but remain significant.ConclusionA severe deficit of vitamin D was associated with higher odds of cognitive impairment in Chilean older adults independent of major confounding factors. Future studies are needed to provide causal evidence between vitamin D and the suspicion of cognitive impairment.

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