title: Serum vitamin E concentrations and recovery of physical function during the year after hip fracture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor nutritional status after hip fracture is common and may contribute to physical function decline. Low serum concentrations of vitamin E have been associated with decline in physical function among older adults, but the role of vitamin E in physical recovery from hip fracture has never been explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum concentrations of α- and γ-tocopherol, the two major forms of vitamin E, were measured in female hip fracture patients from the Baltimore Hip Studies cohort 4 at baseline and at 2-, 6-, and 12-month postfracture follow-up visits. Four physical function measures-Six-Minute Walk Distance, Lower Extremity Gain Scale, Short Form-36 Physical Functioning Domain, and Yale Physical Activity Survey-were assessed at 2, 6, and 12 months postfracture. Generalized estimating equations modeled the relationship between baseline and time-varying serum tocopherol concentrations and physical function after hip fracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 148 women aged 65 years and older were studied. After adjusting for covariates, baseline vitamin E concentrations were positively associated with Six-Minute Walk Distance, Lower Extremity Gain Scale, and Yale Physical Activity Survey scores (p < .1) and faster improvement in Lower Extremity Gain Scale and Yale Physical Activity Survey scores (p < .008). Time-varying vitamin E was also positively associated with Six-Minute Walk Distance, Lower Extremity Gain Scale, Yale Physical Activity Survey, and Short Form-36 Physical Functioning Domain (p < .03) and faster improvement in Six-Minute Walk Distance and Short Form-36 Physical Functioning Domain (p < .07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum concentrations of both α- and γ-tocopherol were associated with better physical function after hip fracture. Vitamin E may represent a potentially modifiable factor related to recovery of postfracture physical function.
authors.affiliation: Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. cdadamo@compmed.umm.edu
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: D'Adamo
authors.forename: Ram R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Gregory E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Denise L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Orwig
authors.forename: Marc C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hochberg
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Semba
authors.forename: Janet A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yu-Yahiro
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magaziner
authors.forename: Michelle D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Shardell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D014815:Vitamins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014815:Vitamins; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol