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Correspondence
Vitamin D and lung function
  1. R P Young1,2,
  2. R J Hopkins2
  1. 1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  2. 2 Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  1. Correspondence to Dr Robert P Young, Respiratory Genetics Group, PO Box 26161, Epsom, Auckland 1344, New Zealand; roberty{at}adhb.govt.nz

https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2014-205101

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    Afzal et al 1 recently reported that low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with a decline in lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While this finding persisted after adjustment for possible confounding variables, and concurs with the findings of others,2 we believe it might still be spurious.

    First, we suggest the association between plasma vitamin D and lung function is subject to a threshold effect, evident in both the cross-sectional data (figures 1 and 3, reference 1) and prospective data (figure 2 and table 2—see our figure 1 below), and primarily limited to the lowest two quintiles (ie, only for the 1st–2nd quintiles can a relationship be consistently identified). By contrast, for the …

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    Footnotes

    • Correspondence submitted in relation to: Afzal S, Lange P, Bojesen SE, et al. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D, lung function and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thorax 2014;69:24–31.

    • Contributors RPY conceived of the idea, researched the literature and wrote the first draft, edited all drafts and approved the final version of this correspondence. RJH researched the literature, edited all drafts and approved the final version of this correspondence.

    • Competing interests RPY, and the funding of his research, has been supported by grants from the University of Auckland, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland Medical Research Foundation, Health Research Council of New Zealand, Lotteries Health and Synergenz BioSciences Ltd. Synergenz BioSciences Ltd holds patents for gene-based risk testing for lung cancer susceptibility.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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