Effect of Monthly 100,000 IU Vitamin D Supplementation on Falls and Non-Vertebral Fractures

Abstract

IntroductionCorrelation between decreased levels of vitamin D in the blood of elderly patients and incidence of falls and fractures has been assessed in various studies; however, there is still ambiguity in data. In this study, we aim to establish the role of vitamin D supplements in minimizing the burden of falls and non-vertebral fractures in the elderly population in a local setting.MethodsThis single-blind, placebo-controlled randomized interventional study was conducted in the Internal Medicine Department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from March 2018 to July 2020. Patients between the ages of 50 to 75 years were enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 100,000 IU vitamin D oral tablets and were followed over 24 months, with regular follow-ups every three months.ResultsThere was no significant difference in the probability of one or more falls for those assigned to the vitamin D group compared to those who received placebo (24.70% vs. 24.85%; hazard ratio [HR]: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.68-1.43). Similarly, the probability of non-vertebral fracture was also non-significant between both groups (4.7% vs. 5.7%; HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.32-2.01).ConclusionAs per the results of this study, vitamin D supplementation had no beneficial effect on the reduction of falls and non-vertebral fractures in elderly patients. Further multi-center studies of longer duration are required to prove the favorable effects of vitamin D supplements.