Vitamin K Status and Mobility Limitation and Disability in Older Adults: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

Shea MK, Kritchevsky SB, Loeser RF, Booth SL · The Journals of Gerontology. Series A

Extends the vitamin K story from the joint to what the joint is for. Over a median 6-10 years, people with plasma phylloquinone under 0.5 nmol/L were more likely to develop mobility limitation (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05-1.53) and disability (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01-1.76) than those at 1.0 nmol/L or more; adjusting for knee pain pulled both below significance (1.20, 0.99-1.45; 1.26, 0.96-1.67). Uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein was not associated with mobility limitation.

Population

Older adults in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study

Intervention

Higher circulating vitamin K status

Comparator

Lower status

Limitations

Mobility limitation has many causes; this is an association in an ageing cohort, without a joint-specific endpoint, and part of it ran through knee pain. NIAMS and NIA funded.