Vitamin D Insufficiency in Patients With Acute Hip Fractures of All Ages and Both Sexes in a Sunny Climate

OBJECTIVES:To determine the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with hip fractures of all ages who live in the southwest United States. DESIGN:Retrospective comparative study. SETTING:Two level 2 trauma centers and 2 community hospitals in San Diego, CA. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS:Four hundred forty-eight patients who sustained a hip fracture from December 2010 to December 2011 and a control group of 1091 patients who underwent elective primary total hip or knee surgery during the same time period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS:Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. RESULTS:The mean 25(OH)D level for both the Hip Fracture (26.38 ng/mL) and Total Joint (29.92 ng/mL) Groups showed vitamin D insufficiency, with the Hip Fracture Group having lower levels (P < 0.05). More patients in the Hip Fracture Group were deficient or insufficient (65.8% vs 54.0%, P < 0.05). Patients aged 71 years or older were more deficient or insufficient in the Hip Fracture Group than in the Total Joint Group (66.7% vs 47.13%, P < 0.05). There was no difference when comparing males versus females (P > 0.05). Females in the Hip Fracture Group were more deficient or insufficient (67.3% vs 54.3%, P < 0.05) than in the Total Joint Group. CONCLUSIONS:The majority of patients aged 18 years or older of both sexes with hip fractures had vitamin D insufficiency and those aged 71 years or older had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels than a control group of total joint patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.