[Should the vitamin D level be determined for all fracture patients?].

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is endemic worldwide. The Health Council of the Netherlands advises a colecalciferol intake of 800 IU/day and an intended serum level of calcidiol of at least 50 nmol/l for people aged 50 years and older and for osteoporosis patients. In 64% of 626 fracture patients, we found a reduced serum calcidiol level according to this definition. According to calculations based on meta-analyses, a substantial proportion of fracture patients would not achieve the target calcidiol level of 50 nmol/l with a vitamin D supplement of 800 IU/day. For example, this would be the case in 37% of elderly patients with osteoporosis. Until the results of a prospective study on this are published, we propose that fracture patients are either systematically given doses of vitamin D supplements higher than 800 IU/day, or that their serum calcidiol is measured and the dose of vitamin D supplements is adjusted according to this initial value and the desired serum concentrations, and that the measurement is repeated after 3 months so that the dosage can be adjusted if necessary.

• Authors: Joop van den Bergh, Tineke van Geel, Piet Geusens
• Journal: Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde (Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd) Vol. 154 Pg. A1758 ( 2010) ISSN: 1876-8784 [Electronic] Netherlands
• Vernacular Title: Bij alle fractuurpatiënten vitamine D bepalen?
• PMID: 20482906 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bone Density Conservation Agents
• Vitamin D

Topics

• Aged
• Aging
• Bone Density Conservation Agents (blood, therapeutic use)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Fractures, Bone (blood, etiology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nutritional Status
• Osteoporosis (complications, drug therapy)
• Vitamin D (analogs & derivatives, blood, therapeutic use)
• Vitamin D Deficiency (blood, complications, drug therapy)