@article {MAYO447, author = {BENJAMIN C. MAYO and DUSTIN H. MASSEL and ALEM YACOB and ANKUR S. NARAIN and FADY Y. HIJJI and NATHANIEL W. JENKINS and JAMES M. PARRISH and KRISHNA D. MODI and WILLIAM W. LONG and NADIA M. HRYNEWYCZ and THOMAS S. BRUNDAGE and KERN SINGH}, title = {A Review of Vitamin D in Spinal Surgery: Deficiency Screening, Treatment, and Outcomes}, volume = {14}, number = {3}, pages = {447--454}, year = {2020}, doi = {10.14444/7059}, publisher = {International Journal of Spine Surgery}, abstract = {In this review, we discuss the demonstrated value of vitamin D in bone maintenance, fracture resistance, spinal health, and spine surgery outcomes. Despite this, the effect of vitamin D levels in spine surgery has not been well described. Through this review of literature, several conclusions were drawn. First, despite the fact that a high number of spine surgery patients are vitamin D deficient, screening is not commonly performed. Second, adequate vitamin D levels will not be achieved in a majority of these patients without supplementation. Last, inadequate vitamin D levels may increase the risk of pseudarthrosis. Given these findings, we suggest that many patients undergoing spinal surgery could be treated with vitamin D supplementation prior to surgery without the need for confirmatory testing for vitamin D deficiency. This is a more cost-effective method than screening all patients. However, future randomized trials and cost-effectiveness analyses are needed to determine the ultimate effects of vitamin D supplementation on clinical morbidity and surgical outcomes.}, issn = {2211-4599}, URL = {http://www.ijssurgery.com/content/14/3/447}, eprint = {http://www.ijssurgery.com/content/14/3/447.full.pdf}, journal = {International Journal of Spine Surgery} }