A small retrospective study has analysed the 25 (OH) vitamin D levels in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery for traumatic bone fracture in a hospital in Oregon, USA. Two cohorts were studied; 103 patients treated over three months in the winter (January to March 2009) and 98 patients treated over three months in the summer (July to September 2009).1
The researchers found a significant difference between vitamin D levels in the summer group compared with the winter cohort – 29.8±11.3 ng/ml compared with 26.4±10.8 ng/ml (P=0.03). A higher proportion of trauma patients (71%) were found to be vitamin D insufficient in the winter compared with 62% in summer, but the difference was not significant (P=0.23).
No conclusions could be drawn on the impact of vitamin D levels at the time of fracture on fracture healing.
Editor's comment: This study highlights that vitamin D insufficiency is common across all age groups and is not something that affects only elderly patients. Further study is required to confirm improved fracture healing with normalization of serum vitamin D levels.
References
- Bee C, Sheerin DV, Wuest TK, Fitzpatrick DC. Serum vitamin D levels in orthopaedic trauma patients living in the Northwestern United States. J Orthop Trauma 2012; e-pub ahead of print 10 May 2012; 10.1097/BOT.0b013e31825cf8fb. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
