Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients With Charcot Arthropathy: A Single-Center Analysis.

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency may be a potentially modifiable risk factor in patients with orthopaedic conditions including Charcot arthropathy. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in patients with Charcot arthropathy.

Methods: All patients with Charcot arthropathy seen in our foot and ankle surgery clinic from January 2017 through June 2021 were screened for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Patients were categorized as sufficient, insufficient, or deficient based on previously accepted guidelines. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was calculated.

Results: A total of 57 subjects were included in this study after meeting the inclusion criteria. Of these, 27 (47.4%) were found to be deficient in vitamin D, 21 (36.8%) were insufficient in vitamin D, and 9 (15.8%) were sufficient in vitamin D. Overall, 84.2% of the cohort was found to be either insufficient or deficient in vitamin D.

Conclusion: Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with Charcot arthropathy. As such, it is possible that this may play a role in the pathogenesis of Charcot arthropathy and may represent a potentially modifiable risk factor that could be optimized during the management of patients with Charcot arthropathy.