No relation between vitamin D status and physical performance in the oldest old: results from the Belfrail study.
BACKGROUND
vitamin D deficiency is a well-known cause of bone loss and fractures but its association, especially among the oldest old, with muscle weakness is less obvious.


OBJECTIVE
to investigate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and muscle performance in persons aged 80 years and older.


METHODS
baseline results of the Belfrail study, a prospective, population-based cohort study were used to study balance, grip strength and gait speed in relation to 25-OHD serum levels in 367 subjects.


RESULTS
a sufficient 25-OHD serum level of 30 ng/ml or more was found in 12.8% of the population. The prevalence of vitamin deficiency (20-29 ng/ml), insufficiency (10-19 ng/ml) and severe insufficiency (<10 ng/ml) was 21.5, 33 and 32.7%, respectively. No significant relation between balance, gait speed and grip strength, and serum 25-OHD was detected neither in bivariate analysis nor after adjustment for age, gender, level of education, institutionalisation, smoking status, body mass index, co-morbidity, level of activity, season, CRP, renal function, serum calcium parathyroid hormone levels, vitamin D intake and use of loop or thiazide diuretics.


CONCLUSIONS
in this cohort of octogenarians vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent. We could not confirm the findings of previous studies showing an association between serum 25-OHD and physical performance in elderly.
Department of General Practice, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. catharina.mathei@med.kuleuven.be
Catharina
C
Matheï
Gijs
G
Van Pottelbergh
Bert
B
Vaes
Wim
W
Adriaensen
Didier
D
Gruson
Jean-Marie
JM
Degryse
D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010808:Physical Examination; D004856:Postural Balance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D