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Vitamin D supplementation and the prevention of fractures and falls: results of a randomised trial in elderly people in residential accommodation18

Vitamin D supplementation and the prevention of fractures and falls: results of a randomised trial in elderly people in residential accommodation18
Vitamin D supplementation and the prevention of fractures and falls: results of a randomised trial in elderly people in residential accommodation18
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of fracture or falls in elderly people in care home accommodation. DESIGN: A randomised controlled trial of cluster design. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: 223 Residential units (mainly identical 30-bedded units), within 118 homes for elderly people throughout Britain, with 3,717 participating residents (76% women, average age 85 years). The units provided mainly or entirely residential care (35% of residents), nursing care (42%) or care for elderly mentally infirm (EMI) residents (23%). METHODS: Participants were randomly allocated by residential unit (cluster design) to a treated group offered ergocalciferol 2.5 mg every 3 months (equivalent to a daily dose of 1,100 IU), or to a control group. Fractures were reported by staff and confirmed in hospital, and routinely collected data on reported falls were obtained. RESULTS: After median follow-up of 10 months (interquartile range 7-14 months), 64 (3.6%) of 1,762 vitamin D-treated residents and 51 (2.6%) of 1,955 controls had one or more non-vertebral fractures, and 24 (1.3%) and 20 (1.0%), respectively, had a hip fracture. The proportion reporting at least one fall was 44% in vitamin D-treated and 43% in control residents. The differences between the vitamin D and control groups were not statistically significant. The incidence of all non-vertebral fractures in the care homes (3.2% per year) and of hip fractures (1.1% per year) was low, similar to rates in elderly people in sheltered accommodation, and the pre-treatment serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration was high [median 47 nmol/l, measured in a 1% (n = 18) sample]. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that vitamin D prevents fractures or falls in elderly people in care home accommodation
analogs & derivatives, humans, hip, pharmacokinetics, prevention & control, women, britain, bone, bone density conservation agents, parathyroid hormone, methods, accidental falls, elderly, female, london, incidence, bone density, hip fractures, ergocalciferols, aged, calcium, treatment outcome, male, homes for the aged, environmental, blood, vitamin d, vitamins, therapeutic use, fractures, phosphates, 80 and over, research, risk
0002-0729
482-486
Law, M.
77d3853d-ffb9-4f94-b289-915bc5c3aafe
Withers, H.
8a91bd4b-1358-430f-b93d-e64fa36b7830
Morris, J.
355e2e94-9e74-4c1d-b9b9-e4e8ec0239f0
Anderson, F.
a0b4d3f7-f9e6-4f1f-8cbb-a3a60f152f72
Law, M.
77d3853d-ffb9-4f94-b289-915bc5c3aafe
Withers, H.
8a91bd4b-1358-430f-b93d-e64fa36b7830
Morris, J.
355e2e94-9e74-4c1d-b9b9-e4e8ec0239f0
Anderson, F.
a0b4d3f7-f9e6-4f1f-8cbb-a3a60f152f72

Law, M., Withers, H., Morris, J. and Anderson, F. (2006) Vitamin D supplementation and the prevention of fractures and falls: results of a randomised trial in elderly people in residential accommodation18. Age and Ageing, 35 (5), 482-486. (doi:10.1093/ageing/afj080).

Record type: Article

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of fracture or falls in elderly people in care home accommodation. DESIGN: A randomised controlled trial of cluster design. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: 223 Residential units (mainly identical 30-bedded units), within 118 homes for elderly people throughout Britain, with 3,717 participating residents (76% women, average age 85 years). The units provided mainly or entirely residential care (35% of residents), nursing care (42%) or care for elderly mentally infirm (EMI) residents (23%). METHODS: Participants were randomly allocated by residential unit (cluster design) to a treated group offered ergocalciferol 2.5 mg every 3 months (equivalent to a daily dose of 1,100 IU), or to a control group. Fractures were reported by staff and confirmed in hospital, and routinely collected data on reported falls were obtained. RESULTS: After median follow-up of 10 months (interquartile range 7-14 months), 64 (3.6%) of 1,762 vitamin D-treated residents and 51 (2.6%) of 1,955 controls had one or more non-vertebral fractures, and 24 (1.3%) and 20 (1.0%), respectively, had a hip fracture. The proportion reporting at least one fall was 44% in vitamin D-treated and 43% in control residents. The differences between the vitamin D and control groups were not statistically significant. The incidence of all non-vertebral fractures in the care homes (3.2% per year) and of hip fractures (1.1% per year) was low, similar to rates in elderly people in sheltered accommodation, and the pre-treatment serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration was high [median 47 nmol/l, measured in a 1% (n = 18) sample]. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that vitamin D prevents fractures or falls in elderly people in care home accommodation

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More information

Published date: 2006
Keywords: analogs & derivatives, humans, hip, pharmacokinetics, prevention & control, women, britain, bone, bone density conservation agents, parathyroid hormone, methods, accidental falls, elderly, female, london, incidence, bone density, hip fractures, ergocalciferols, aged, calcium, treatment outcome, male, homes for the aged, environmental, blood, vitamin d, vitamins, therapeutic use, fractures, phosphates, 80 and over, research, risk

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Local EPrints ID: 61321
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/61321
ISSN: 0002-0729
PURE UUID: 4976d823-84e3-4b46-bed8-68055abc96e0

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Date deposited: 02 Sep 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 11:25

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Contributors

Author: M. Law
Author: H. Withers
Author: J. Morris
Author: F. Anderson

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