PM&R
Volume 2, Issue 3 , Pages 202-208, March 2010

A Descriptive Study on Vitamin D Levels in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury in an Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting

  • Gregory A. Nemunaitis, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Rehabilitation, Institute of Ohio, MetroHealth Medical System; and Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH⁎
    • ,
  • Melvin Mejia, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Rehabilitation, Institute of Ohio, MetroHealth Medical System; and Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH†
    • ,
  • Jennifer A. Nagy, MPT

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Rehabilitation, Institute of Ohio, MetroHealth Medical System, Cleveland, OH‡
    • ,
  • Tova Johnson, DO

      Affiliations

    • VA New England Health Care System, West Roxbury MA§
    • ,
  • John Chae, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Rehabilitation, Institute of Ohio, MetroHealth Medical System; and Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH∥
    • ,
  • Mary Joan Roach, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Rehabilitation, Institute of Ohio, MetroHealth Medical System; and Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine; and Center for Health Care Research & Policy, MetroHealth Medical System, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: M.J.R.

Received 27 May 2009; accepted 9 January 2010.

Objective

To determine the prevalence of inadequate or severely deficient levels of vitamin D in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation service and to describe any associations between patient demographics and injury characteristics and vitamin D levels.

Design

Retrospective case series.

Setting

Academic inpatient SCI rehabilitation program.

Subjects

One hundred patients with SCI who were consecutively admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation from January to December 2007.

Methods

Data were retrospectively abstracted from the patient's medical chart.

Outcome Measure

VitD-25(OH)

Results

The prevalence of VitD-25(OH) inadequacy or severe deficiency was 93% in this sample of patients with SCI. The mean VitD-25(OH) level was 16.29 ± 7.73 ng/mL, with a range from 7.00 to 36.80 ng/mL. Twenty-one percent of the sample had VitD-25(OH) levels that were considered as severely deficient (≤10 ng/mL). African-American subjects had statistically significant lower mean VitD-25(OH) levels compared with Caucasian subjects (12.96 versus 17.79 ng/mL; P = .003). Persons with an incomplete injury had significant lower mean VitD-25(OH) levels compared with complete injuries (14.64 versus 18.15 ng/mL; P = .023).

Conclusions

Inadequate or severely deficient levels of VitD-25(OH) were highly prevalent in patients with SCI admitted to an acute inpatient rehabilitation service. Evaluation of serum VitD-25(OH) levels are recommended in patients with SCI because low levels may contribute to osteoporosis.

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 
  • ⁎ Disclosure: nothing to disclose
  • † 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.

 This project was funded through a grant from the Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research H133N060017.

PII: S1934-1482(10)00012-2

doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2010.01.010

PM&R
Volume 2, Issue 3 , Pages 202-208, March 2010

Article Tools