Low serum levels of vitamin D significantly increase the risk of death in older adults with hip fractures: a prospective cohort

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the relationship between 25(OH)D(3) levels and fatal outcome in patients over 60 years of age undergoing surgical repair of hip fractures. METHODS: prospective cohort of patients undergoing surgical repair of hip fractures. At admission, 25(OH)D(3) levels were measured, among other parameters. Patients were followed for at least 1 year, and incident mortality was recorded. RESULTS: 209 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 79.5 ± 7.6 years among survivors and 80.7 ± 8.2 years among those who died in the first postoperative year (p=0.346). The 25(OH)D(3) levels of survivors were significantly higher than those of patients who died (p=0.003). After adjusting for confounding variables, 25(OH)D(3) levels below 12.5ng/mL were significant risk factors regardless of mortality (adjusted OR: 7.6; 95% CI: 2.35 to 24.56). CONCLUSIONS: our data show that serum 25(OH)D(3) levels below 12.5ng/mL significantly and independently increased the risk of mortality in the first year after surgical repair of low-energy hip fracture in patients over 60 years of age in the geographic region where this study was conducted. Low albumin also showed a significant association with mortality in these patients. All other factors had no significant associations.