Should older people in residential care receive vitamin D to prevent falls? Results of a randomized trial

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the incidence of falls and fractures in older people in residential care who are not classically vitamin D deficient. DESIGN: Randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind, trial of 2 years' duration. SETTING: Multicenter study in 60 hostels (assisted living facilities) and 89 nursing homes across Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred twenty-five residents (mean age 83.4) with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels between 25 and 90 nmol/L. INTERVENTION: Vitamin D supplementation (ergo-calciferol, initially 10,000 IU given once weekly and then 1,000 IU daily) or placebo for 2 years. All subjects received 600 mg of elemental calcium..