Vitamin D deficiency in proximal femur fractures: An observational, cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: A proximal femur fracture is the most serious complication of osteoporosis, due to the high mortality and morbidity associated with it. Its risk in the elderly is a function of multiple factors, including bone mineral density, muscle strength, and balance, all of which have been related to Vitamin D status and function. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective hospital-based study conducted over 2 years in the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, India, to evaluate any correlation between Vitamin D levels and proximal femur fractures (PFFs). We also studied the influence of age and sex on Vitamin D levels in PFFs. Results: In our study, the female patients had lower Vitamin D levels (19.85 ± 5.28) as compared to males (20.436 ± 9.36), but this decrease was not found to be statistically significant (P = 0.2374). There was an average decrease of Vitamin D levels in patients of higher age group (20.770 ± 6.57 vs. 19.692 ± 8.40), but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.613). Thirty-four patients, i.e., 68%, had hypocalcemia, while 16 patients, i.e., 32%, had normal levels of serum calcium. Similarly, 30 patients, i.e., 70%, had hypomagnesemia, while 20 patients, i.e., 40%, had normal serum magnesium levels. The mean level of alkaline phosphatase in PFF was found to be 116.36 IU/L, i.e., within normal limits. The average Vitamin D level in our patients who were adequately exposed to sunlight was 22.5 ± 8.80 ng/ml, while the average Vitamin D level in patients who were inadequately exposed was 16.925 ± 5.98 ng/ml. The mean Vitamin D levels in vegetarian and nonvegetarian patients were 19.17 ± 6.05 ng/ml and 19.83 ± 9.56 ng/ml, respectively. We found that vitamin levels were relatively low (19.46 ng/dL) in patients from high altitudes as compared to patients from low altitudes (22.62 ng/dL), but the difference was insignificant (P = 0.3925). Conclusion: In our study, almost all patients (96%) were suffering from hypovitaminosis D (Vitamin D levels <30 ng/ml), and 38% of our patients had Vitamin D deficiency (Vitamin D levels <20 ng/ml). However, we were unable to find any significant difference in Vitamin D levels when patients of various ages, sex, and altitude were compared with each other.