title: The short-term impact of vitamin D-based hip fracture prevention in older adults in the United Kingdom.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin D is a relatively inexpensive drug yet an important hormone in terms of calcium and bone homeostasis. Treatment with vitamin D is associated with reduced fracture risk particularly in an elderly population. Therefore, we assessed the budgetary impact of routine prescription of 800 IU daily colecalciferol on hip fracture among older adults in the United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using meta-analysis findings for treatment effect and UK-estimates of incidence, we performed a health economic evaluation of treating the UK population aged 65 and over with 800 IU of vitamin D daily, assessing the impact upon hip fracture costs using incremental attributable costs and excess mortality for a range of age- gender-based treatment strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using only a 1-year horizon, considering only reduction in hip fracture, prescribing colecalciferol 800 IU daily to all adults aged 65 and over, could reduce the number of incident hip fractures from 65,400 to 45,700, saving almost 1,700 associated deaths, whilst saving the UK taxpayer £22 million.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the UK government seeks to reduce public expenditure in all sectors, investment in prescribed prophylactic colecalciferol 800 IU therapy for adults aged 65 and over is likely to yield cost savings through reduction hip fracture alone in the first year.
authors: Primary Care and Public Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
authors: Chris D
authors: CD
authors: Poole
authors: Jamie C
authors: JC
authors: Smith
authors: J Stephen
authors: JS
authors: Davies
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002762:Cholecalciferol