Association of Preoperative Vitamin D Deficiency With Retear Rate and Early Pain After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Ryu KJ

Published in Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine

Methodology

Retrospective cohort study relating preoperative serum 25(OH)D concentration to postoperative pain scores and imaging-confirmed retear rates over 24 months after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Key Findings

In 89 patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, preoperative vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher early postoperative pain scores, but retear rates at two-year follow-up did not differ significantly between vitamin D deficient and replete patients.

Conclusions

Low preoperative vitamin D was linked to more early pain but not to tendon retear after rotator cuff repair, so routine supplementation cannot be assumed to improve healing.

Limitations

Retrospective single-centre cohort with modest sample and limited power for retear as an outcome, unmeasured confounding by activity, tear size and rehabilitation adherence, and no randomised supplementation arm.