title: Prevalence of Low Vitamin D Levels in Patients With Orthopedic Trauma.
abstract: Low levels of serum vitamin D have been linked to numerous musculoskeletal and nonmusculoskeletal conditions. Vitamin D deficiency appears relatively high among various patient subpopulations, including patients with fracture nonunion. We conducted a retrospective study to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in a large population of patients with orthopedic trauma. The study included all patients who were over age 18 years, had no risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, and were treated for an acute fracture at a Level 1 trauma center. Between January 2009 and September 2010, 889 trauma patients had recorded serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Overall prevalence of combined vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency was 77%; prevalence of vitamin D deficiency alone was 39%. There were no statistically significant (P < .05) age or sex differences among the population. There did not appear to be a seasonal difference. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in acute orthopedic trauma patients appear very common. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the clinical significance.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: Yvonne M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Murtha
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Della Rocca
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Stannard
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Volgas
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. cristb@health.missouri.edu.
authors.forename: Brett D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Crist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D