Abstract:
Introduction: Currently, Vitamin D deficiency is a major public health problem and it affects more than one billion
people worldwide. Vitamin D is crucial for bone mineralization and ossification. Patients with fractures need Vitamin
D for the healing of their fractured bone. The current study was carried out to determine if there is change in the
serum level of Vitamin–D associated with factors at early phase of fractured bone healing (ossification) process
among adult fractured patients at University of Gondar teaching hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: This facility-based prospective follow up study was conducted from March to June 2016. Data was
collected by an interviewer, and pretested and structured questionnaires were used. Biological samples were
collected to determine the serum level of vitamin–D in all subjects. In addition, X–Ray findings were used to
determine the early phase of bone healing process. Data was entered into EPI INFO version 3.5.3 and analyzed
using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression
analysis was done to screen for factors associated with decreased serum levels of Vitamin–D. In the Multivariate
regression analysis, those variables which had a P–value of <0.05 were considered as independently associated with
change in serum level of Vitamin–D.
Results: A total of 118 adult patients with fractures participated in this study. The prevalence of patients’ with
decreased serum levels of vitamin–D at post-test was 63.6% [95% CI; (0.551–0.720)]. Inadequate intake of milk and
milk products in the 1st week of fracture [AOR = 95%CI: 0.20 (0.05–0.90)], Poor Dietary Diversity Score [AOR = 95%
CI: 29.1 (2.27–371.65)], and ossified bone [AOR =95% CI: 4.10 (1.12–14.95)] showed statistically significant association
with decreased serum level of Vitamin–D
Conclusion and recommendations: Decreased serum level of Vitamin–D at early phase of fractured bone healing
process was found in the majority of patients (>63%) raising concern for Vitamin D deficiency to be a significant
public health problem in the study population. It was statistically associated with: poor dietary diversity score, in
adequate intake of milk and milk products in the 1stone week of fracture and ossified (healed) bone. Introducing
hospital based Vitamin–D supplementation and integrated with health and nutritional education is a vital
intervention needed to improve serum levels of Vitamin–D
