title: Clinical review: The effect of vitamin D on falls: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D affects bone and muscle health and likely reduces the risk of falls in the elderly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the existing evidence on vitamin D use and the risk of falls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched electronic databases from inception through August 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials in which the intervention was vitamin D and the incidence of falls was reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reviewers working in duplicate and independently extracted study characteristics, quality, and outcomes data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Odds ratio and associated 95% confidence interval were estimated from each study and pooled using the random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 26 eligible trials of moderate quality that enrolled 45,782 participants, the majority of which were elderly and female. Vitamin D use was associated with statistically significant reduction in the risk of falls (odds ratio for suffering at least one fall, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.77-0.96). This effect was more prominent in patients who were vitamin D deficient at baseline and in studies in which calcium was coadministered with vitamin D. The quality of evidence was low to moderate because of heterogeneity and publication bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D combined with calcium reduces the risk of falls. The reduction in studies without calcium coadministration did not reach statistical significance. The majority of the evidence is derived from trials enrolling elderly women.
authors.affiliation: Knowledge and Encounter Research Unit, and Division of Preventive, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. murad.mohammad@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Mohammad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Murad
authors.forename: Khalid B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Elamin
authors.forename: Nisrin O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Abu Elnour
authors.forename: Mohamed B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Elamin
authors.forename: Aziz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alkatib
authors.forename: Mitra M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fatourechi
authors.forename: Jaime P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Almandoz
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mullan
authors.forename: Melanie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Hau
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Erwin
authors.forename: Donald D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Hensrud
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Montori
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D