Vitamin D status in patients with arthritis and osteoporosis: a comparative analysis of inpatient and outpatient cohorts
Abstract
Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a global health issue linked to musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis and arthritis. Despite its critical role in bone and immune health, large-scale comparisons of vitamin D status between outpatient and inpatient populations remain limited.
Objective: This study aimed to compare vitamin D levels in patients with and without arthritis or osteoporosis across outpatient and inpatient settings and evaluate their associations with clinical outcomes.
Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 37800 adults treated at the Department of Orthopedics in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from 2015 to 2020. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were categorized as normal, low, or deficient. Patients were stratified by diagnosis (arthritis and osteoporosis) and care setting (outpatient vs. inpatient). Statistical comparisons were made using t-tests, Chi-square tests, and log-binomial regression adjusted for age, sex, the alternate musculoskeletal diagnosis, and osteocalcin. Diabetes mellitus was only consistently available for inpatients and was therefore handled as a descriptive inpatient characteristic rather than in the outpatient characteristic and regression models.Adjusted relative risks (RRs) for arthritis and osteoporosis were estimated according to vitamin D status, with normal vitamin D as the reference category, using log-binomial regression adjusted for age, sex, osteocalcin, and the alternate musculoskeletal diagnosis…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 37,800 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Effectiveness of Bisphosphonates and Denosumab on Risk of Vertebral Fractures in Prostate Cancer Patients Under Androgen Deprivation Therapies: A Real-World Prospective Study
- Osteoporosis-related fractures after spinal cord injury: a retrospective study from Brazil
- Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and mortality in older men
- Lack of Association between Vitamin D Insufficiency and Cardiovascular or Fracture Risk: A UK Biobank Study
- Muscle strength and body composition are clinical indicators of osteoporosis
- Incidence of bone protection and associated fragility injuries in patients with proximal femur fractures
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.