Summary
Vitamin K is integral to haemostatic function, and in vitro and animal experiments suggest that vitamin K can suppress production of inflammatory
cytokines. To test the hypothesis that higher vitamin K status is associated with
lower haemostatic activation and inflammation in community-dwelling adults, we analysed
the cross-sectional association between serum phylloquinone (vitamin K1) with haemostatic
and inflammatory biomarkers in 662 participants in the Multi- Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
(MESA) [mean (SD) age=62 (10) years; 46% female; 37% Caucasian, 25% African-American,
25% Hispanic, 13% Chinese-American]. Following adjustment for demographic and lifestyle
characteristics, medication use, triglycerides and body mass index, those in the highest
quartile of serum phylloquinone had significantly lower circulating interleukin-6
[adjusted mean (SEM) pmol/l: quartile 4 (Q4)=1.22 (0.07), quartile 1 (Q1)=1.45 (0.07);
p-trend<0.01], C-reactive protein [adjusted mean (SEM) mg/dl: Q4=1.57 (0.11), Q1=2.08
(0.18); p-trend=0.02], soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [adjusted mean (SEM)
ng/ml: Q4=247 (11), Q1=288 (11); p-trend=0.02], and plasmin-antiplasmin complex [adjusted
mean (SEM) nmol/l: Q4=4.02 (0.1), Q1=4.31 (0.1), p-trend=0.04]. We detected an interaction
between age and serum phylloquinone with respect to factor VIII and D-dimer (interaction
p-values=0.03 and 0.09, respectively). Among participants ≥70 years, serum phylloquinone
was inversely associated with factor VIII activity (p-trend=0.06) and positively associated
with D-dimer (p-trend=0.01), but was not associated with either marker among participants
<70 years (both p≥0.38). In contrast, dietary phylloquinone intake was not associated
with any inflammatory or haemostatic biomarker evaluated (all p-trend>0.11). These
findings are consistent with laboratorybased studies that suggest a possible anti-inflammatory
role for vitamin K. Whether or not these associations predict clinical outcomes linked
to elevated inflammation or haemostatic activation remains to be determined.
Keywords
Haemostasis - inflammation - nutrition - epidemiological studies