High Rates of Vitamin D Deficiency in Acute Rehabilitation Patients

Vitamin D is important for calcium metabolism, bone health, and muscle strength. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to various health issues, including cardiovascular disease, depression, and decreased muscle strength. This study found that many patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation have low vitamin D levels. Identifying and treating this deficiency could help improve their rehabilitation outcomes. Younger patients in the study had surprisingly high rates of vitamin D deficiency, suggesting it might be a problem they had before hospitalization.

• 1
  76% of patients admitted to the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) had low vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL).
• 2
  Younger patients demonstrated higher rates of vitamin D deficiency compared with older patients (P<.0001).
• 3
  Sex, ethnicity, BMI, admitting diagnosis, pre-IRF length of acute hospitalization, presence of acute fractures, treatment with antiepileptic medications, and treatment with systemic steroids did not demonstrate statistically significant associations with vitamin D status.