During the six winter months, the hazard ratio (95% CI) for both sexes combined was 0.85 (0.74–0.98, P = 0.02), whereas during the six summer months, it was 0.92 (0.82–1.03, P = 0.14). Mortality prediction by 25(OH)D was attenuated (to P = 0.042, 0.045, respectively), but was not completely abolished by adjustment for either grip strength or for a physical activity score (on a scale of

1–4: very active to very inactive, by questionnaire; Table 2). Mortality prediction by plasma phosphorus was attenuated learn more (to a P = 0.033, 0.041, respectively) by adjustment for either plasma creatinine or for plasma α1-antichymotrypsin (Table 3). For men (Table 3), significant biochemical and dietary predictors of all-cause mortality were: plasma phosphorus, plasma creatinine and plasma α1-antichymotrypsin (all ‘deleterious’), and plasma albumin and dietary intake of energy (both ‘protective’). For women (Table 3), the significant predictors were plasma alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and α1-antichymotrypsin (all ‘deleterious’), 25(OH)D (marginally ‘protective’), and plasma albumin and phosphorus intake (‘protective’). If food energy was included in the model for women, then phosphorus intake still retained its prediction significance (P = 0.01). Other potentially

influential factors About selleck compound CYTH4 19% of the study respondents were regularly taking over-the-counter dietary supplements which contained vitamin and/or mineral components, at baseline, and of these, three quarters (i.e. 14% overall) were taking vitamin D supplements, but only 5% (i.e. 0.5% overall) were taking

over-the-counter supplements that contained calcium and/or phosphorus. The mortality prediction patterns were similar in the (86%) non-vitamin D supplement users, as in the entire cohort, with the exception of plasma 25(OH)D and of dietary phosphorus adjusted for dietary energy in women, both of which lost significance (P > 0.05) when the vitamin D-containing supplement users were excluded (not shown). Exclusion of those respondents (approx. 14%) who died <2 years after the baseline fieldwork made little difference to any of the index predictions of mortality, again with the exception of plasma 25(OH)D and of dietary phosphorus adjusted for dietary energy in women, both of which lost significance (P > 0.05, not shown). Only approximately 3% of the participants were taking any drugs for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders at baseline, and exclusion of these made essentially no difference to the mortality prediction patterns or significances (not shown). Primary vascular disease mortality When the dataset was reanalysed, with primary vascular disease mortality as the outcome (i.e.