Swiss Study on Vitamin D and Calcium in Nursing Homes

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Residents of nursing homes are endangered by malnutrition and vitamin D deficiency. Our study checks compliance with Swiss federal recommendations on vitamin D and calcium supplementation among residents of a Swiss nursing home. A peer physician-applied recommendation on compliance with the federal recommendations with individual evaluation of the residents will be sent to the physicians in care. After one year, data will be collected again.

Detailed Description
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The investigators plan to get a complete sample of all inhabitants, so the only inclusion criterion is to get an informed consent either from the residents or from their relatives. The following data will be recorded: Year of birth, gender, height, weight, blood pressure and heart rate, daily calcium intake from diet, nursing home scales on pain, depression, dementia and activities of daily life, date of entry to the home, diagnosis and medication lists. From a venous blood sample the investigators get: calcium, phosphate, albumin, creatinin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathormone (intact). Primary endpoint: Proportion of medication lists of residents complying with federal recommendation on vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Secondary endpoints: 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, effect of an intervention with a nursing home-applied recommendation to the physicians.

Official Title
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Swiss Study on Vitamin D and Calcium in Nursing Homes

Conditions
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Aging, Vitamin Deficiency

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: peer physician-applied recommendation to the physicians


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Resident of nursing home on qualifying date Written informed consent by residents or their relatives Exclusion Criteria: Refusion of participation
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Entire group<br>A peer-applied guideline will be applied to the physicians. | Behavioral: peer physician-applied recommendation to the physicians<br>* The peer physician-applied recommendation will include scientific information, practical recommendations to correctly supplement with calcium and vitamin D and a list of individual appraisals of the prescribed supplements among the residents.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Proportion of compliance with federal recommendations | We register the proportion of residents those calcium and vitamin D supplementation complies with Swiss federal recommendation. | up to 12 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels | We measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels among the residents. | up to 12 months | 
| Effect of nursing home-applied recommendations to physicians | We check the effect of a nursing-home-applied recommendation to the physicians in care of the residents concerning correct supplementation with vitamin D and calcium on a) proportion of compliance with federal recommendations, b) 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels and c) medication costs. | up to 12 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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nursing home, vitamin D supplements, calcium supplements, guideline adherence