Hypovitaminosis D in Patients Undergoing Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Single-Center Analysis

Vitamin D is recognized as an essential component in bone health, muscle function, and immune system regulation. This study sought to characterize the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), and shoulder hemiarthroplasty (HA). Between September 2013 and December 2014, a total of 218 patients undergoing TSA, RSA, and HA by a single surgeon were screened for hypovitaminosis D and retrospectively reviewed. Demographic variables and risk factors were recorded. Overall, 93 shoulder arthroplasty patients (43%) were vitamin D insufficient (<30 ng/mL) and 24 patients (11%) were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/mL). Body mass index (BMI) had a significant effect on vitamin D levels; BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or greater was associated with lower vitamin D levels (31.5 +/- 12.1 ng/mL) compared with patients with a BMI of less than 30 kg/m2 (36.2 +/- 15.7 ng/mL, P=.01). The absence of supplementation with vitamin D and calcium prior to serum testing was the most significant risk factor for hypovitaminosis D (odds ratio [OR], 8.234, P<.001). Age, gender, race, smoking status, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, procedure, and surgical indication were not significant. This is the largest cohort of shoulder arthroplasty patients screened for hypovitaminosis D. Almost half (43%) of the study population was insufficient, and both the absence of supplementation prior to serum testing and BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or greater were found to be predictive of lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Given the extent of vitamin D involvement in normal musculoskeletal physiology, routine preoperative evaluation is merited.