Introduction Vitamin D deficiency has been reported widely in various community groups but especially in the osteoporotic/fracture population. We decided to investigate the incidence in an elective female population undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty as this has not been previously reported.

Methods Data was collected prospectively from a group of female patients who were undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. Patients with rheumatoid or inflammatory arthritis were excluded, as were patients on Vitamin D supplements. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD) levels were measured as part of routine pre-operative work-up. A total of 40 female patients over a 12 month period were checked, with average age 66 years (range 15 to 93 years). Average height was 151 cm and weight 67 kg. Thirty total hips and 10 total knee replacements were performed. Vitamin D deficiency was classified as either marginal (25 OHD levels ranging from 25 to 50 nmol/L or frank (25 OHD levels, < 20–25 nmol/L).

Results Eleven patients out of 40 (27.5%) had marginal deficiency and four of those patients (10%) had frank vitamin D deficiency. There was no correlation with height or weight or age.

Conclusions This small study suggests that a significant percentage of patients undergoing elective lower limb arthroplasty for osteoarthritis have low Vitamin D levels.