Arnljots Rebeka, Snaebjörnsson Arnljots Egill, Thorn Jörgen, Elm Marie, Moore Michael, Sundvall Pär-Daniel
Research, Education, Development & Innovation, Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.
General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 Jun 24;25(1):428. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06132-z.
Confusion, restlessness, and fatigue are common among older adults living in nursing homes. These nonspecific symptoms are often treated with antibiotics since they are frequently misinterpreted as urinary tract infections. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate other potential causes of these nonspecific symptoms. Impaired cognitive function in older adults may be associated with vitamin D deficiency and could lead to nonspecific symptoms. Currently, it is unknown whether there is a correlation between nonspecific symptoms, often misinterpreted as acute cystitis, and vitamin D deficiency.
A cross-sectional study in which blood samples were collected from residents of 22 Swedish nursing homes for 25OHD (25-hydroxyvitamin D) analysis. Demographics and presence of nonspecific symptoms, such as: fatigue, restlessness, confusion, aggressiveness, reduced appetite, tendency to fall or a sense of not being oneself as well as symptom duration, were registered.
incontinence, dementia too severe to cooperate when taking a blood test, terminally ill or refusing participation. Logistic regressions were performed to determine if nonspecific symptoms persisting ≥ 3 months were associated with vitamin D deficiency.
Out of 901 residents in 22 nursing homes blood samples were taken from 545 participants, of whom 370 (68%) were women. The mean age was 86 years (SD 6.9), and 55% (299/545) had dementia. The prevalence of symptoms persisting ≥ 3 months was: fatigue 49% (268/545), restlessness 50% (270/545), confusion 53% (287/545), agitation/anger 47% (258/545), reduced appetite 45% (247/545), tendency to fall 48% (260/545), and a sense of not being oneself 35% (191/545). The 25OHD concentrations did not differ between various nonspecific symptoms. When adjusting for age, gender and dementia there was no association between any of the nonspecific symptoms and 25OHD.
Nonspecific symptoms persisting ≥ 3 months and vitamin D deficiency were common among older adults living in nursing homes. However, there was no association between these long-lasting nonspecific symptoms and the concentration of vitamin D. In further research it is important to study other potential causes of nonspecific symptoms in older adults.
在养老院生活的老年人中，困惑、烦躁不安和疲劳很常见。这些非特异性症状常被误诊为尿路感染而使用抗生素治疗。因此，调查这些非特异性症状的其他潜在原因至关重要。老年人认知功能受损可能与维生素D缺乏有关，并可能导致非特异性症状。目前，尚不清楚常被误诊为急性膀胱炎的非特异性症状与维生素D缺乏之间是否存在关联。
一项横断面研究，从瑞典22家养老院的居民中采集血样进行25羟维生素D（25OHD）分析。记录人口统计学信息以及非特异性症状的存在情况，如疲劳、烦躁不安、困惑、攻击性、食欲减退、跌倒倾向或自我感觉异常以及症状持续时间。
失禁、痴呆严重到无法配合采血、晚期疾病或拒绝参与。进行逻辑回归分析以确定持续≥3个月的非特异性症状是否与维生素D缺乏有关。
在22家养老院的901名居民中，采集了545名参与者的血样，其中370名（68%）为女性。平均年龄为86岁（标准差6.9），55%（299/545）患有痴呆症。持续≥3个月症状的患病率分别为：疲劳49%（268/545）、烦躁不安50%（270/545）、困惑53%（287/545）、激动/愤怒47%（258/545）、食欲减退45%（247/545）、跌倒倾向48%（260/545）、自我感觉异常35%（191/545）。不同非特异性症状之间的25OHD浓度无差异。在调整年龄、性别和痴呆因素后，任何非特异性症状与25OHD之间均无关联。
在养老院生活的老年人中，持续≥3个月的非特异性症状和维生素D缺乏很常见。然而，这些长期的非特异性症状与维生素D浓度之间无关联。在进一步研究中，研究老年人非特异性症状的其他潜在原因很重要。
