Vitamin D as a Supplement Against Falls in Elderly Study (D-SAFE)

December 23, 2016 updated by: University of Florida

Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Fall Risk and Functional Outcomes in Older Adults With Insufficient Vitamin D Levels: A Pilot Study

The role of vitamin D deficiency on increased risk for falls and physical dysfunction is unclear. It is also unclear if taking vitamin D improves physical function and reduces fall risk in older adults. The purpose of this research study is to explore the effects of taking the recommended dose of vitamin D (800 IUs/day) for six months on fall risk and physical functional outcomes in older adults with low vitamin D levels. The investigators hypothesize that the participants will experience fewer falls and function better physically after taking vitamin D for six months.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The role of vitamin D deficiency on increased risk for falls and physical dysfunction is unclear. It is also unclear if taking vitamin D improves physical function and reduces fall risk in older adults. This study will look at the potential effects of taking vitamin D regularly on falls and physical function in older adults. A total of 50 individuals with low vitamin D levels (i.e., serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin D range 10 ng/mL to 30 ng/mL) and a recent fall history will be enrolled into a six-month study. During the 6 months in this study, participants will receive capsules containing 800 IU vitamin D, in non-childproof bottles, for two 3-month periods. Participants will be asked to consume one capsule per day for the duration of this six-month study, as well as attend four study visits: Screening Visit, Baseline Visit, 3-Month Visit (in approximately 3 months from the baseline visit), and 6-Month Visit (in approximately 6 months from the baseline visit). During the screening visit, participants will fill out questionnaires, complete the mini-mental status exam, have their blood pressure and pulse taken, and a small sample of blood will be drawn from their vein. During the baseline visit, participants will fill out questionnaires, have their blood pressure, pulse, height, weight, and waist circumference taken, and perform several measures of physical function. Finally, a mouth swab will be performed and a staff member will collect a stool sample that you brought to the study visit. During the 3-Month Visit, participants will complete a questionnaire and have their blood pressure and pulse taken. During the 6-Month Visit, participants will repeat the questionnaires and measures that they performed during the Baseline Visit. The investigators hypothesize that the participants will experience fewer falls and function better physically after taking vitamin D for six months.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
25

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Florida
      • Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32611
        • Institute on Aging; University of Florida

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

70 years and older (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 70 years
  • Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D >10 ng/mL and < 30 ng/mL
  • Having had a fall at least twice in the past six months
  • Provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Failure to provide informed consent
  • Self-reported myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, or unstable angina within the past 6 months; New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class 3 or 4 congestive heart failure; aortic stenosis; chronic hepatitis; cirrhosis; kidney disease; solid organ transplantation; major psychiatric disorder; history of kidney stones or history of renal colic; history of nephrotic syndrome; history of primary hyperparathyroidism or renal tubular acidosis; history of hypercalcemia; cancer requiring treatment in the past three years, except for non-melanoma skin cancers or cancers that have clearly been cured or in the opinion of the investigator carry an excellent prognosis (e.g., Stage 1 cervical cancer);
  • Other significant co-morbid disease (e.g. renal failure on hemodialysis) or severe psychiatric disorder (e.g. bipolar, schizophrenia) that would impair ability to participate in the exercise-based intervention
  • Cognitive impairment (i.e., Mini Mental Status Exam score < 23) or history of significant head injury
  • Current use of anabolic medications (i.e., growth hormones or testosterone), antidepressant medications, antipsychotic agents, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, anticholinesterase inhibitors (i.e., Aricept), anticoagulant therapies (aspirin use is permitted), or antibiotics for HIV or tuberculosis
  • Dietary supplementation with > 800 IU/day of Vitamin D
  • Hypercalcemia (calcium > 10.4 mg/dL), hypocalcemia (calcium < 8.6 mg/dL), or renal insufficiency (estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 50 ml/min)
  • Serum aspartate (AST) or alanine transaminase (ATL) >3 times upper limit normal (UPN)
  • High amounts of physical activity (i.e. running or bicycling) > 120 min/week
  • Excessive alcohol use ( >14 drinks per wk )
  • History of drug or alcohol abuse (i.e., more than 5 drinks/day for males or more than 4 drinks/day for females)
  • Planning to leave the area in the next year
  • Resting heart rate > 120 bpm
  • Systolic blood pressure > 180 mmHg
  • Diastolic blood pressure > 100 mmHg
  • Vision or hearing impairment
  • Participating in another clinical trial or has received an investigational product within 30 days prior to screening/enrollment

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Vitamin D
Participants will take the Institute of Medicine's recommended daily dose of vitamin D (800 IU/day) for six months.
Dietary supplement: Vitamin D
Participants will take the Institute of Medicine's recommended daily dose of vitamin D (800 IU/day) for six months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Falls
Time Frame: Change in 6 months
Assess the change in number of falls participants have after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Six Minute Walk Test
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in gait speed on the Six Minute Walk Test after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in functional performance on the SPPB after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Grip Strength
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in grip strength after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Weight
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in weight after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Waist Circumference
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in waist circumference after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Perceived Level of Functioning as Measured by the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC)
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in perceived level of functioning as measured by the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in health-related quality of life after taking vitamin D for six months.
Change in 6 Months
Microbiome in the Human Colon
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in microbiome in the human colon after taking vitamin D for six months. Analyses of changes in bacterial diversity will be accomplished by deep sequencing of the ribosomal RNA, a highly conserved molecule that is used to classify bacteria.
Change in 6 Months
Microbiome in the Human Mouth
Time Frame: Change in 6 Months
Assess the change in microbiome in the human mouth after taking vitamin D for six months. Analyses of changes in bacterial diversity will be accomplished by deep sequencing of the ribosomal RNA, a highly conserved molecule that is used to classify bacteria.
Change in 6 Months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Florida

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Stephen D Anton, PhD, University of Florida

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 4, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 4, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 9, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 26, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 23, 2016

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 31-2013
  • 00085737-8 (Other Identifier: University of Florida)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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