Session Information
Date: Thursday, November 14, 2019
Session Title: Neurological Rehabilitation Research Report
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Location: Research Hub - Kiosk 6
Disclosures: Diane Mortimer, MD, MSN: Nothing to disclose
Objective: In recent years, it has become common to check vitamin D levels and to supplement when values are low. Notably, there are no established standards guiding these interventions. The aim of this project was to try to characterize vitamin D levels and treatment patterns in a sample of patients admitted to an ARU following stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Design: Data from the prior 3 years was obtained during retrospective chart review as part of a quality improvement project.
Setting: ARU of large VA hospital
Participants: Military Veterans and Active Duty Service Members who were admitted during the study period.
Interventions: This project was a chart review which did not include interventions.
Main Outcome Measures: We analyzed descriptive statistics regarding admission Vitamin D levels. We also examined the number of individuals who were treated with Vitamin D supplementation while they were on the ARU and the number who were still being treated upon discharge.
Results: Of 190 patients, 164 (86%) had admission Vitamin D levels (Vitamin D 25-OH) lower than the normal of 30 ng/mL, and therefore were treated with supplements. The average level was 24.85 ng/mL (standard deviation 8.10 ng/mL), range 6 to 58 ng/mL, mode 24 ng/mL, and median 20 ng/mL. 113 (59%) were still on supplements at discharge.
Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with fatigue, impaired cognitive function, and decreased quality of life in patients with neurological illnesses. Many rehabilitation centers, including our own, have opted to treat low Vitamin D levels even though there is no current standard. This quality improvement project demonstrates that we are treating these levels in a large percentage of our patients. Additional prospective studies are needed. Future questions should include whether supplementing Vitamin D in rehabilitation settings has any effect on physiologic or functional outcomes, what the treatment goal should be, and optimal length of treatment.
Level of Evidence: Level I
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Mortimer D, Hall K, Westanmo A, Duverneau-Salifu M, Gottenborg J. Evaluation and Treatment of Vitamin D Levels in an Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU) During a 3-year Period [abstract]. PM R. 2019; 11(S2)(suppl 2). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/evaluation-and-treatment-of-vitamin-d-levels-in-an-acute-rehabilitation-unit-aru-during-a-3-year-period/. Accessed September 7, 2024.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2019
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/evaluation-and-treatment-of-vitamin-d-levels-in-an-acute-rehabilitation-unit-aru-during-a-3-year-period/