Does vitamin D3 supplementation improve medial joint space narrowing in patients with osteoarthritis knee

Background: Although vitamin D3 levels are known to improve pain and knee function in patients with knee OA, no clear evidence is available regarding relation between improvement in medial joint space with improvement in vitamin D3 levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of vitamin D3 supplements in improving joint space in the patients with OA knee.Methods: 100 patients with OA Knee who fulfilled inclusion criteria and consented to participate were enrolled for study. Patients of OA Knee were blinded and randomized to receive either tablet vitamin D3 or identical placebo tablet. Vitamin D3 Tab was administered in a dose of 60000U/week for 3 months in 12 doses while placebo tablets with identical dosing schedule were used for control group. The patients who received vitamin D3 tablets were allocated to case group while those receiving identical placebo tablets were grouped as controls. The vitamin D3 levels and medial joint space were assessed at baseline, 3 mo, 6mo and 1 year in both the groups.Results: In two groups of patients of OA knee of 50 patients each vitamin D3 supplementation increased levels of vitamin D3 in case group. While no significant improvement in joint space narrowing was noted with vitamin D3 supplementation in case group. Also no significant correlation was observed between vitamin D3 levels and medial joint space narrowing.Conclusions: There was no improvement in medial knee joint space with vitamin D3 supplementation