Abstract

In a cross-sectional, population-based study we measured casual, seated blood pressure with a random-zero sphygmomanometer and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-[OH]2D) with a protein-binding assay in 373 women aged 20-80 y. 1,25-(OH)2D, an active metabolite that regulates serum calcium, was associated significantly and positively with systolic blood pressure (p = 0.020) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.003) after adjustment for age, Quetelet's index (a measure of obesity), and current thiazide use. A model including age, Quetelet's index, current thiazide use, and 1,25-(OH)2D explained 37% of the variability in systolic blood pressure observations, of which 7% of variability was explained by 1,25-(OH)2D. In this geographically defined population of women, the variability of blood-pressure measurements attributable to 1,25-(OH)2D was of the same order of magnitude as that attributable to Quetelet's index.