ISSN: 2577-297X
Authors: Tutaworn T, Phruetthiphat O* and Songpatanasilp T
Introduction: High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been described in more than 1 billion people around the world, especially in Middle-East and Asia. In Thailand, the largest study of vitamin D status in normal population (N=2641) identified overall 45.2 percent of vitamin D inadequacy in normal population. However, there was no study focusing on Vitamin D inadequacy in traumatic elderly patients. The purpose of this study is going to define the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in traumatic hip fracture among elderly patients and to identify a clinical correlation. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of elderly patients (more than 60 years old) with low energy trauma who underwent orthopaedic surgery at Phramongkutklao Hospital between the period of January 2016 and December 2016. All hip fracture patients underwent orthopedic surgery were collected for demographic data, comorbidities including Charlson Comorbidity Index. Primary outcome was to identify a prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy (<30 ng/ml) and vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) in hip fracture underwent orthopedic surgery. Secondary outcome was to define association of demographic data, comorbidity with vitamin D level. Additionally, comparison the ambulatory status and mechanical failure between normal vitamin D and vitamin D inadequacy Results: The serum 25(OH)D levels for this study was normally distributed, with a mean of 25.0±12.2 ng/ml in all patients, Prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy was 70.5 percent (n=103) and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 37.7 percent (n=55). There was no significant difference of ambulatory status between vitamin D inadequacy and sufficient vitamin D groups (p=0.958). Additionally, there was not different in mechanical failure between groups (4.5% and 0%, p=1.000). Conclusion: Vitamin D inadequacy is so common in traumatic elderly patients. We should raise attentiveness among physician to determine vitamin D status. Public health strategy should add knowledge about diet, supplements or adequate sun exposure to elderly population. Vitamin D inadequacy did not affect the outcome including time to union and ambulatory status at 1 year follow up.
Keywords: Vitamin D; Fractures; Patients
