PubMed 42675950

Vitamin D Status and Supplementation in Lumbar Spinal Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes

Kapetanakis S et al. · Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions · 2026 · PubMed

Summary

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Vitamin D Status and Supplementation in Lumbar Spinal Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes

Meta-analysisSystematic reviewMachine-checked Sep 21, 2026AI-assisted draft

Kapetanakis S et al. Vitamin D Status and Supplementation in Lumbar Spinal Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes. Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions, 2026. PubMed 42675950

Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 studies, using random-effects models as primary analyses. Searches covered PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to January 2026, following PRISMA guidelines.
Population
Adult patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion, with vitamin D status or supplementation assessed and a comparator group included. Pooled sample sizes were n=351 across 5 studies for radiographic fusion success and n=3,081 across 6 studies for fusion failure.
Intervention
Vitamin D status or vitamin D-related interventions/supplementation, compared against a comparator group. Exact supplementation protocols not stated in the abstract.
Dose as studied
Not stated in the abstract.
Comparator
A comparator group with lower vitamin D status or without supplementation, relative to the vitamin D-exposed or better-status group. Specific comparator details not stated in the abstract.
Duration
Not stated in the abstract.

Outcomes, as reported

  • Radiographic fusion success (5 studies, n=351) RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13-1.38; I2 = 0%. Significantly higher likelihood of fusion with better vitamin D status or supplementation.
  • Fusion failure (6 studies, n=3,081) RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.27-0.76; I2 = 34.8%. Significantly lower risk in vitamin D-exposed groups.
  • Patient-reported outcomes Inconsistent results; no significant effects in random-effects analyses; changes below minimal clinically important differences.

Limitations stated by the authors · Heterogeneity across studies, partly related to differences in outcome definitions and study design. Findings should be interpreted cautiously due to clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Further prospective studies are required.

Funding · Not stated in the abstract.