Vitamin B6 Serum Level and Inflammation and in the InChianti Study

Abstract number: OR128

Gori AM, Corsi AM, Bandinelli S, Giusti B, Lapini I, Lauretani F, Pepe G, Ferrucci L, Abbate R, Gensini GF

During the last years, evidences on the crucial role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and of low dietary intake and serum levels of vitamin B6 in the risk of vascular events have been accumulated. A link between inflammation and impaired vitamin B status has been reported in adult, but not in elderly populations. This study aimed at determining the relationship between vitamin B6 serum levels, vitamin status and inflammatory markers in a population-based study which sampled people living in two sites in the surrounding of Florence (Italy), the InChianti Study. To evaluate the relationship between circulating vitamin B6 levels, the nutrient intakes, and the inflammatory markers we stratified the study participants by tertiles of circulating vitamin B6 levels (<=19.0, 19.1–31.6; >=31.7 nmol/l). Using a general linear model analysis adjusted for age, sex, serum creatinine, total energy intake, smoking habit, the average daily intake of vitamin B6, folic acid, beta-Carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E were progressively and significantly higher across vitamin B6 tertiles. According to vitamin B6 tertiles, folate, vitamin B12, alpha-tocopherol and albumin levels were significantly higher and conversely CRP, IL-6, IL-6r levels and whole blood cell count were significantly lower in the highest tertile than in the lowest tertiles. At multivariate linear regression analysis, after adjustment for the covariates significantly associated with vitamin B6 levels, the intake of beta-carotene as well as the alpha-tocopherol serum levels were associated with higher vitamin B6 levels. Lower levels of albumin and higher levels of CRP and IL-6r were significantly associated with lower levels of vitamin B6. Our results demonstrated that vitamin B6 levels, independently of the dietary intake and smoking habit, are predicted by pro-inflammatory markers CRP, IL-6R and by anti-oxidant vitamins.