%0 Journal Article
%T Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in older South Africans with and without hip fractures and the effects of age, body weight, ethnicity and functional status
%A B Cassim
%A F Paruk
%A P Chutterpaul
%J Journal of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa
%D 2019
%R https://doi.org/10.1080/16089677.2018.1534360
%X Background: Vitamin D plays an important role in many physiological and pathological processes, including bone metabolism. Vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide, but there are few data in older South Africans. Objectives: This study aimed to determine vitamin D status in older adults with and without hip fractures and the effect of demography, body mass index (BMI) and functional status on vitamin D levels. Methodology: In a secondary analysis, the association between 25(OH) vitamin D levels, obtained from 327 subjects (151 with fractures and 176 controls), and age, gender, ethnicity, BMI and functional status, was explored using Student¡¯s t-test, a chi-square test, regression analysis and ANOVA. Results: In the total cohort, vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was present in 27% and 38%, respectively. While vitamin D levels decreased with age, this was not significant (p£¿=£¿0.082). There was a significant association between vitamin D and BMI (p£¿=£¿0.023), the physical maintenance scale (p£¿=£¿0.002) and independent activities of daily living (p£¿=£¿0.001). Mean vitamin D levels in fracture subjects was significantly lower than controls (39.4£¿¡À£¿23.1£¿nmol/l vs. 50.1£¿¡À£¿23.3£¿nmol/l, p£¿=£¿0.00) and vitamin D deficiency and/or insufficiency was significantly more common in the fracture group compared with controls (75.5% vs. 56.8%, p£¿=£¿0.00). There was no association with gender or ethnicity. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common in this population, especially in those with hip fractures. Contrary to other studies, increasing BMI was associated with higher vitamin D levels. This suggests that poor health status as indicated by a low BMI and poorer functional status is associated with lower vitamin D levels. The high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and/or insufficiency in the cohort strongly argues for universal vitamin D supplementation in older adults, especially those at risk for osteoporotic fractures
%U https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16089677.2018.1534360