title: Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in patients with hip fracture in Hong Kong.
abstract: The serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and plasma albumin-adjusted calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase levels were studied in 200 patients with hip fracture (age range 49-93 years) and 427 elderly subjects living in the community (age range 60-90 years). The mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in controls were higher than in temperate countries, but the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was significantly lower in the patients than the controls for all sex and age groups. There was little difference in albumin-adjusted calcium and alkaline phosphatase levels, but the phosphate level was higher in the patients than in the controls. None of the patients with a low 25-hydroxyvitamin D level had a blood picture suggestive of osteopathy resulting from vitamin D deficiency or frank osteomalacia. Hip fracture patients with a low 25-hydroxyvitamin D level were much less ambulant and went outdoors much less frequently than hip fracture patients with a normal vitamin D level. A low vitamin D level was a risk factor for hip fracture in Hong Kong Chinese, and may be prevented by frequent outdoor exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Donnan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001315:Australia; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000097:blood*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010018:Osteomalacia / Q000378:metabolism; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D010710:Phosphates; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium