title: Vitamin D in Foot and Ankle Fracture Healing: A Literature Review and Research Design.
abstract: Vitamin D is a generic name for a group of essential vitamins, or secosteroids, important in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Specifically, efficacy of vitamin D with regard to bone healing is in question. A literature review was performed, finding mostly large studies involving vitamin D effects on prevention of fractures and randomized animal model studies consisting of controlled fractures with vitamin D interventions. The prevention articles generally focus on at-risk populations, including menopausal women and osteoporotic patients, and also most often include calcium in the treatment group. Few studies look at vitamin D specifically. The animal model studies often focus more on vitamin D supplementation; however the results are still largely inconclusive. While recent case reports appear promising, the ambiguity of results on the topic of fracture healing suggests a need for more, higher level research. A novel study design is proposed to help determine the efficacy on vitamin D in fracture healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, Level IV: Systematic Review.
authors.affiliation: Kingwood Medical Center, Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Residency with Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Certification, Kingwood, TX andrewsbernhard@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernhard
authors.affiliation: Kingwood Medical Center, Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Residency with Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Certification, Kingwood, TX.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matuk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D064386:Ankle Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: and strains; bone; bone healing/orthobiologics; fractures; general disorders; sports podiatry; sprains; trauma