title: Vitamin D profile of patients with spinal cord injury and post-stroke hemiplegia: All in the same boat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and hemiplegia are at risk of fractures partly due to decreased bone mineral density with relation to the low levels of vitamin D.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate the vitamin D profile of patients with SCI and post-stroke hemiplegia.
  
  
  METHODS
  25(OH)D levels of patients with SCI and hemiplegia were obtained from the electronic medical record database and compared with age- and sex-matched non-disabled controls. Furthermore, the effect of Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) level and Brunnstrom's recovery stage, on vitamin D insufficiency, was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample consisted of 173 individuals (118 patients and 55 controls). Vitamin D levels and sufficiency rates of the neurologically disabled patients was significantly lower than that of controls (p= 0.000 and p= 0.000, respectively). However, there was no difference between patients with SCI and hemiplegia regarding the 25(OH)D levels and vitamin D insufficiency (p= 0.303 and p= 0.952, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in vitamin D status by American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) level and Brunnstrom's score. However, regression analysis revealed that vitamin D insufficiency rate of non-functionally ambulatory (FAC = 0-2) patients was higher than that of functionally ambulatory (FAC = 3-5) ones (p= 0.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D status of patients with neurological disabilities was lower than that of controls. Non-functionally ambulatory patients had higher vitamin D insufficiency rate than functionally ambulatory patients. Preventative measures including adequate supplementation of vitamin D should be directed to neurologically disabled subjects, particularly those with non-functional ambulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilke
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Coskun Benlidayi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulsah
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seydaoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rengin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guzel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000097:blood*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Hemiplegia; neurological disorders; spinal cord injury; vitamin D; vitamin D insufficiency