Lee JM, Jeong SW, Kim MY, Park JB, Kim MS. World Neurosurg. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.
Affiliation
Department of Neurosurgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 877, Bangeojin sunhwando-ro, Dong-gu, Ulsan, Korea. Electronic address: kist1817@gmail.com.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acute and long-term effects of vitamin D supplementation on the recovery of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients.
METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving 345 TBI patients who visited a single trauma center. Vitamin D serum levels were measured without supplementation at admission, 1 month, and 3 months post-TBI (control group) from August to December 2016. From January 2017, vitamin D supplementation was provided to TBI patients with low vitamin D serum levels at admission (supplement group). The outcomes were investigated by assessing performance function (Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale [GOS-E]) and cognitive function (Mini-Mental Status Examination [MMSE], and Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR]) at 1 week and 3 months post TBI.
RESULTS: The mean vitamin D serum level in TBI patients at admission was 13.62 ± 9.01 ng/ml. The level significantly increased from 14.03 ± 8.68 ng/ml at admission to 37.42 ± 12.57 ng/ml at 3 months post TBI in the supplement group (p < 0.001). The cognitive outcomes (MMSE/CDR, p = 0.042/p = 0.044) and GOS-E score (total TBI, p = 0.003; mild-to-moderate TBI, p = 0.002) significantly improved from the first week to 3 months post TBI in the patients with vitamin D supplementation.
CONCLUSION: Administration of vitamin D supplements in mild-to-moderate TBI patients with significant vitamin D deficiency during the acute phase of the injury may improve long-term performance and cognitive outcomes. Therefore, the treatment strategies should be individually planned for the TBI patients based on their baseline vitamin D level.