Introduction: The increasing global prevalence of Knee OA suggests a strong need to
control various risk factors of its occurrence as well as progression. The present study
is an attempt to assess the effect of vitamin D and Virgin Coconut Oil (VCNO) in
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
Methods: After obtaining the ethical clearance, the study was conducted in two
phases. In Phase I, 300 KOA patients were screened for vitamin D status and 270
patients with low serum vitamin D level were selected purposively from K.J. Somaiya
Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai. They were assessed for stage
of KOA, clinical signs and symptoms, anthropometric measures (BMI, WHR) and
body composition (Total body fat, BMD, LBM using BIA), bone turnover (serum
vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus), inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR), pain and
functional abilities (VAS, WOMAC and 6-MWT); dietary energy and nutrient intake,
and dietary patterns using standard techniques. Based on the results, suitable diet and
exercise guidelines were suggested. For Phase 2 of the study, 100 early KOA
participants from phase 1were selected purposively and divided into 2 groups (E1 and
E2). A 12 week intervention was carried out during which E1 received Vitamin
D3 (n=50) and E2- Vitamin D3 and VCNO (n=50) supplementation. Postintervention
all the parameters were reassessed along with sCOMP in a sub sample
(n=80). Data was analyzed using SPSS 16.0.
