Vitamin D Dosing Strategies After Hip Fracture
Author Information
Author(s): Alexandra Papaioannou, Courtney C Kennedy, Lora Giangregorio, George Ioannidis, Janet Pritchard, David A Hanley, Leonardo Farrauto, Justin DeBeer, Jonathan D Adachi
Primary Institution: McMaster University
Hypothesis
Does adding large loading doses of vitamin D to daily supplementation provide any advantage in increasing vitamin D levels in hip fracture patients?
Conclusion
A daily dose of 1,000 IU vitamin D3 is as effective as a loading dose of vitamin D2 for improving vitamin D levels in hip fracture patients.
Supporting Evidence
- 75% of the placebo and 50,000 IU groups reached the target vitamin D level after 3 months.
- An immediate rise in vitamin D levels was observed in the 100,000 IU group.
- 1 in 4 participants in the placebo and 50,000 IU groups did not achieve the target level.
Takeaway
Giving a small daily dose of vitamin D is just as good as giving a big dose all at once for helping older people with hip fractures.
Methodology
Patients over age 50 with acute hip fractures were randomized into three groups receiving different loading doses of vitamin D2 followed by daily vitamin D3 for 90 days.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to differences in age and baseline vitamin D levels among groups.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and significant age differences among groups.
Participant Demographics
65 participants, 44% male, mean age varied by group.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.15 for 4-weeks, p = 0.09 for 3-months
Confidence Interval
95% CI for various measures reported
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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