Ginde AA, Brower RG, Caterino JM, et al. - Researchers assessed 90-day all-cause, all-location mortality following early vitamin D₃ supplementation in critically ill, vitamin D–deficient patients carrying a high risk for death, in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. The participants were randomized within 12 hours following the decision to admit the patient to an intensive care unit. A single enteral dose of 540,000 IU of vitamin D₃ or matched placebo was administered to eligible patients. During point-of-care screening, vitamin D deficiency was found in 1,360 patients who underwent randomization. Of these, 1,078 with baseline vitamin D deficiency verified by subsequent testing were examined as the primary analysis population. Findings revealed no benefit of early administration of high-dose enteral vitamin D₃, compared with placebo, in terms of 90-day mortality or other, nonfatal outcomes in critically ill, vitamin D–deficient patients.