Role of Vitamin D3 in fracture union in adults

Abstract

Fractures play an important role in morbidity and often premature mobility among the elderly population. Because inactivity as a result of a fracture is harmful both to bone healing and health, it appears early or rapid fracture healing would be highly recommendable for returning fracture patients to come back to normal as soon as possible with minimal side effects. The literature remains unclear regarding supplementation required for promoting bone healing in fracture cases. Hereby we evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of vitamin D3 supplementation in fracture cases along with the quantitative analysis of vitamin D3 at the time of fracture and after fracture union.: A total of 200 patients were assessed clinically, biochemically (serum alkaline phosphatase, serum vitamin D3, and serum parathormone), and radiologically. All patients who satisfy inclusion criteria are followed up and vitamin D3 levels were measured up within 1 day of fracture and at the interval of 6 months after the orthopaedic intervention. The outcomes were monitored by the 5 points radiographic scoring system by Warden et al. With the majority of patients falling under the vitamin insufficiency group i.e. 53% of all patients were found to be vitamin insufficient at the time of fracture. 33% of patients found to be vitamin D deficient while 14% found to be insufficient stage. No patient was found to be in a toxicity state. According to Warden’s scoring., 50% of patients were in grade 3, 15% in grade 4, 33% in grade 2, and only 2% in grade 1. Regarding the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in the general population, this study shows an alarming rate of vitamin D insufficient patients in a group of 200 patients, which indicates the need for attention towards vitamin D status not only for bone-related issues but for other issues related to vitamin D deficiency.