PM&R
Volume 2, Issue 1 , Pages 23-26, January 2010

A Pilot Study of Vitamin D and Balance Characteristics in Middle-Aged, Healthy Individuals

  • Abu Qutubuddin, MD

      Affiliations

    • Southeastern Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center (PADRECC), Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, 1201 Broad Rock Blvd, Richmond, VA 23249; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Richmond, VA†
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: A.Q.
    • ,
  • David X. Cifu, MD

      Affiliations

    • Southeastern Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center (PADRECC), Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Richmond, VA‡
    • ,
  • Robert A. Adler, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Endocrinology, Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA§
    • ,
  • William Carne, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Southeastern Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center (PADRECC), Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Richmond, VA
    • ,
  • George Gitchel, BS

      Affiliations

    • Southeastern Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center (PADRECC), Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA∥

Received 28 July 2009; accepted 15 October 2009.

Objective

To examine what relationship exists between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and postural competency in the middle-aged, healthy individual.

Design

A community convenience sample.

Setting

Major medical center employees.

Subjects

Thirty-five healthy individuals older than 40 years of age who demonstrated appropriate cognition and physical stability. Specific exclusion criteria included any prior history of hip, knee, or ankle fracture or surgery.

Methods

Questionnaire regarding exercise and sun exposure, vitamin D blood level, followed by computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) assessment of balance.

Main Outcome Measurements

CDP scores of individuals with normal and subnormal vitamin D levels.

Results

Thirteen male and 22 female subjects had a mean age of 56.0 years (standard deviation, 7.6; range, 42-77). Self-reported, retrospective mean weekly sun exposure was 7.36 hours (standard deviation, 6.4 hours). Twenty-six subjects (76.5%) described themselves as regular exercisers. Mean 25-OHD level for the sample was 21.5 ng/mL (standard deviation, 12.1 ng/mL). When subjects were divided into those with low and high 25-OHD levels, there was no significant difference in composite limits of stability reaction time scores (mean, 0.98 seconds and 0.84 seconds; P = .23), composite maximal velocity scores (4.2°/second and 5.5°/second; P = .08), composite end point excursion (70.3% and 70.1%; P = .95), and directional control composite scores (71.0% and 71.4%; P = .93). The two groups also showed no significant differences in rhythmic weight shifting left and right as well as forward and backward.

Conclusions

Unlike studies involving elderly subjects, this study of younger, healthy subjects did not demonstrate a relationship between vitamin D and balance.

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  • † Disclosure: nothing to disclose
  • ‡ Disclosure: nothing to disclose
  • § Disclosure: nothing to disclose
  •  Disclosure: nothing to disclose
  • ∥ Disclosure: nothing to disclose

 This CME activity is designated for 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and can be completed online at me.aapmr.org. Log on to www.me.aapmr.org, go to Lifelong Learning (CME) and select Journal-based CME from the drop down menu. This activity is FREE to AAPM&R members and $25 for non-members.

 Disclosure Key can be found on the Table of Contents and at www.pmrjournal.org

PII: S1934-1482(09)01463-4

doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2009.10.007

PM&R
Volume 2, Issue 1 , Pages 23-26, January 2010

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