Relation of vitamin D deficiency and new–onset atrial fibrillation among hypertensive patients

• Vitamin D deficiency is associated with new–onset AF in hypertension
• Hypertensive patients have lower mean concentration of serum vitamin D
• RAS activation may be the mechanism of AF generation in vitamin D deficiency
• Serum vitamin D lower than 22.5 ng/ml may be a cut–off value for development of AF

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with various cardiovascular disorders including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. The renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAS) axis is activated in vitamin D deficiency. The RAS axis also plays a role in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to investigate whether vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for the development of new–onset AF in hypertension. A total of 227 hypertensive patients were enrolled, of whom 137 had new–onset AF; 90 patients without AF were included in the control group. The age of the patient, left atrial diameter, and vitamin D deficiency increased the probability of new–onset AF independent from confounding factors (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.08; P = .03 for age; OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.15–3.45; P = .03 for left atrial diameter; OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.18–2.64; P = .03 for vitamin D deficiency). Vitamin D deficiency is associated with new–onset AF in hypertension.