Prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in Belfast following fragility fracture.

ABSTRACTBackground: It is well established that vitamin D levels are sub-optimal in older people and that adults with fragility fracture have low levels of serum vitamin D.Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in an elderly population with fragility fractures and to compare data with previously published work from Glasgow.Research design and methods: Two retrospective patient audits were carried out using records from the out-patient Osteoporosis Clinic at Musgrave Park Hospital and from in-patient hip fracture admissions at the Royal Victoria Hospital.Results: There were data for 86 patients with fragility fracture from the Osteoporosis Clinic, 40.7% patients had vertebral fractures and 10.5% multiple fractures. Patients with hip fracture were excluded from the analysis. 69.8% of the patients were women. The mean age at the time of fracture was 65.3 years and 70.9% of patients were aged 60 years or over and 32.6% were aged 75 years or over. At the time of out-patient attendanc...