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April 10, 2024
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Vitamin D deficiency associated with poorer functional outcomes, longer stays after TKA

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Key takeaways:

  • Vitamin D-deficient patients had worse functional results after knee arthroplasty vs. vitamin D-sufficient patients.
  • Vitamin D supplementation may improve results for patients with this deficiency.

Published results showed vitamin D deficiency was associated with poorer clinical and functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty; however, vitamin D supplementation may improve outcomes in patients who have this deficiency.

Researchers performed a systematic review of 10 studies that included 146,054 patients who underwent 150,107 primary TKAs to analyze the effect of vitamin D deficiency on outcomes such as WOMAC scores, Knee Society Scoring (KSS) system, American Knee Society scores, revisions, infections and postoperative stiffness. Researchers also performed a meta-analysis of three of the studies to assess the impact on length of stay (LOS).

Woman taking omega 3 pills from bottle.
Vitamin D-deficient patients had worse functional results after TKA vs. vitamin D-sufficient patients. Image: Adobe Stock

Researchers found four of the 10 studies reported worse WOMAC, KSS and American Knee Society scores for patients who were vitamin D deficient compared with patients who were vitamin D sufficient. The four studies also reported patients who were vitamin D deficient had an increased risks for revision, joint infection and postoperative stiffness.

Meta-analysis of the three studies that analyzed LOS showed patients who were vitamin D deficient had a significant increase in LOS vs. patients who were vitamin D sufficient.

Researchers wrote that vitamin D supplementation improved functional outcomes and decreased risks for revision and joint infection.

“Although there was heterogeneity of studies, the vast majority reported an increase in adverse outcomes with vitamin D deficiency and improvements in outcomes after supplementation,” the researchers wrote in the study.