Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) and vitamin D deficiency are common in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD), but the contribution of lifestyle and psychosocial factors to these conditions remains incompletely understood. A single-center cross-sectional analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition evaluated clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial factors associated with sHPT and vitamin D deficiency in adults with congenital heart disease.
The study included 662 adults with congenital heart disease, with a mean age of 39.3 years, of whom 47% were women. The analysis included laboratory parameters, quality of life (QoL), mental health metrics, lifestyle characteristics, and measures of cardiovascular disease severity. Multivariable regression models were used to identify predictors of sHPT and vitamin D deficiency.
Findings
- Secondary hyperparathyroidism was identified in 13% of patients, while vitamin D deficiency was present in 43.4%.
- Reduced quality of life and lower exercise frequency were observed in both sHPT and vitamin D deficiency (p < 0.05).
- Predictors of sHPT included infrequent alcohol consumption, higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, elevated NT-proBNP levels, metabolic syndrome, and fewer headaches (all p < 0.05).
- Vitamin D deficiency was more frequently observed in patients with shorter exercise duration (p < 0.01), infrequent alcohol consumption (p < 0.01), and those not living in a partnership (p < 0.01).
The findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism in adults with congenital heart disease reflect a combination of lifestyle, psychosocial, and disease severity factors.
