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Vitamin D Treatment for the Prevention of Falls in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  1. Rita Rastogi Kalyani MD, MHS1,
  2. Brady Stein MD, MHS2,
  3. Ritu Valiyil MD, MHS3,
  4. Rebecca Manno MD, MHS3,
  5. Janet W. Maynard MD, MHS3,
  6. Deidra C. Crews MD, ScM4

Article first published online: 23 JUN 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02949.x

Issue

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Volume 58, Issue 7, pages 1299–1310, July 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kalyani, R. R., Stein, B., Valiyil, R., Manno, R., Maynard, J. W. and Crews, D. C. (2010), Vitamin D Treatment for the Prevention of Falls in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58: 1299–1310. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02949.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    From the Divisions of Endocrinology and Metabolism

  2. 2

    Hematology

  3. 3

    Rheumatology

  4. 4

    Nephrology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

*Address correspondence to Dr. Rita Rastogi Kalyani, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1830 East Monument Street, Suite 333, Baltimore, MD 21287. E-mail: rrastogi@jhmi.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 JUL 2010
  2. Article first published online: 23 JUN 2010

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Keywords:

  • vitamin D;
  • falls;
  • elderly;
  • randomized controlled trials;
  • systematic review

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review and quantitatively synthesize the effect of vitamin D therapy on fall prevention in older adults.

DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

SETTING: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, LILACS, bibliographies of selected articles, and previous systematic reviews through February 2009 were searched for eligible studies.

PARTICIPANTS: Older adults (aged ≥60) who participated in randomized controlled trials that both investigated the effectiveness of vitamin D therapy in the prevention of falls and used an explicit fall definition.

MEASUREMENTS: Two authors independently extracted data, including study characteristics, quality assessment, and outcomes. The I2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity in a random-effects model.

RESULTS: Of 1,679 potentially relevant articles, 10 met inclusion criteria. In pooled analysis, vitamin D therapy (200–1,000 IU) resulted in 14% (relative risk (RR)=0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.79–0.93; I2=7%) fewer falls than calcium or placebo (number needed to treat =15). The following subgroups had significantly fewer falls: community-dwelling (aged <80), adjunctive calcium supplementation, no history of fractures or falls, duration longer than 6 months, cholecalciferol, and dose of 800 IU or greater. Meta-regression demonstrated no linear association between vitamin D dose or duration and treatment effect. Post hoc analysis including seven additional studies (17 total) without explicit fall definitions yielded smaller benefit (RR=0.92, 95% CI=0.87–0.98) and more heterogeneity (I2=36%) but found significant intergroup differences favoring adjunctive calcium over none (P=.001).

CONCLUSION: Vitamin D treatment effectively reduces the risk of falls in older adults. Future studies should investigate whether particular populations or treatment regimens may have greater benefit.

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