PLASMA 25-HYDROXY VITAMIN-D CONCENTRATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH FRACTURES OF THE FEMORAL-NECK

Fractures of the neck of the femur, which are common in the elderly, occur more often in women than in men and the incidence increases exponentially with age. The finding of histological osteomalacia in one-third of these patients suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be an important causal factor, but no controlled study of vitamin D status in these patients has been performed in Britain. We have studied 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) concentrations in patients with fractures and in matched controls drawn from a home-based population—the source of most fractures. © 1979, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.