Vitamin D status in relation to postural stability in the elderly

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition, health & aging health & aging, 2012-03, Vol.16 (3), p.270-275
• Main Authors: Boersma, D., Demontiero, O., Amiri, Z. Mohtasham, Hassan, S., Suarez, H., Geisinger, D., Suriyaarachchi, P., Sharma, A., Duque, Gustavo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - prevention & control; Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Aged; Aging; Australia; Balance; Biological and medical sciences; Bones; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease; Falls; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fractures; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gait; Gait - physiology; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Hospitals; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Motor Activity - physiology; Muscle Strength - physiology; Neurosciences; Nutrition; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Older people; Parathyroid Hormone - blood; Parkinson's disease; Population; Posture; Posture - physiology; Primary Care Medicine; Quality of Life Research; Risk Factors; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - complications; Vitamin D Status in Relation to Postural Stability in the Elderly; Vitamin deficiency
• ISSN: 1279-7707; 1760-4788
• DOI: 10.1007/s12603-011-0345-5

Objectives Postural instability (PI) is an important risk factor for falls, especially in the frail older population. In this study, we investigated the impact of vitamin D deficiency on PI in a sample of community dwelling older subjects. Our objective was to determine the potential association between vitamin D deficiency and PI in older fallers. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Falls and Fractures Clinic, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, Australia. Participants One hundred and forty-five adults aged 65 years and older who have had at least one episode of a fall within the six months prior to assessment at the Falls and Fractures Clinic. Measurements Serum 25(OH) vitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] and parathyroid hormone concentrations were determined at baseline. Subjects were separated into 3 groups based on serum 25(OH)D3 levels with the following cut-off values: < 30 nmol/L (deficient), 30–50 nmol/L (insufficient) and > 50 nmol/L (normal). Other baseline measurements included body mass index, mini-nutritional assessment, grip strength, serum calcium concentration and creatinine clearance, which were used as covariables. PI was assessed using a computerized virtual reality system (Medicaa, Uruguay). Measured parameters included limits of stability (LOS) and centre of pressure (COP) under eyes closed on foam (ECF) and visio-vestibular stimulation. The estimated swaying area, computed from the ellipse of confidence under eyes closed standing on foam (ECF), was also used as a PI parameter. Gait velocity (GV) was measured using a GaitRITE walkway system. Results Posture was impaired in vitamin D deficiency (