Study results show vitamin D is around 99% ineffective in preventing major cardiovascular events

In their study of vitamin D supplementation and major cardiovascular events, Thompson and colleagues state, “The difference in the standardised cause specific cumulative incidence at five years was −5.8 events per 1000 participants (95% confidence interval −12.2 to 0.5 per 1000 participants), resulting in a number needed to treat to avoid one major cardiovascular event of 172.”1Translated into a meaningful figure, the absolute risk reduction over 5 years is 0.58. Is that really worth the effort? Relative risk figures should not be published, they are grossly misleading to both doctors and patients. Journals should report clearly understandable study outcomes and adopt Bogaty and Brophy’s approach of summarising numbers needed to treat, numbers treated needlessly, and index of therapeutic impotence.2 In this case a number need to treat of 172 equals 171 treated needlessly—or an index of therapeutic impotence score of 99.4%.2 These figures clearly show that vitamin D supplementation is…
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