Prevalence of Vitamin D inadequacy among postmenopausal North American women receiving osteoporosis therapy.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and factors related to vitamin D inadequacy in postmenopausal North American women receiving therapy to treat or prevent osteoporosis.

METHODS:

Serum 25(OH)D and PTH were obtained in 1536 community-dwelling women between November 2003 and March 2004. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for suboptimal (<30 ng/ml) 25(OH)D.

RESULTS:

Ninety-two percent of study subjects were Caucasian, with a mean age of 71 yr. Thirty-five percent resided at or above latitude 42 degrees north, and 24% resided less than 35 degrees north. Mean (sd) serum 25(OH)D was 30.4 (13.2) ng/ml: serum 25(OH)D was less than 20 ng/ml in 18%; less than 25 ng/ml in 36%; and less than 30 ng/ml in 52%. Prevalence of suboptimal 25(OH)D was significantly higher in subjects who took less than 400 vs. 400 IU/d or more vitamin D. There was a significant negative correlation between serum PTH concentrations and 25(OH)D. Risk factors related to vitamin D inadequacy included age, race, body mass index, medications known to affect vitamin D metabolism, vitamin D supplementation, exercise, education, and physician counseling regarding vitamin D.

CONCLUSIONS:

More than half of North American women receiving therapy to treat or prevent osteoporosis have vitamin D inadequacy, underscoring the need for improved physician and public education regarding optimization of vitamin D status in this population.

• Authors: Michael F Holick, Ethel S Siris, Neil Binkley, Mary K Beard, Aliya Khan, Jennifer T Katzer, Richard A Petruschke, Erluo Chen, Anne E de Papp
• Journal: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism (J Clin Endocrinol Metab) Vol. 90 Issue 6 Pg. 3215-24 (Jun 2005) ISSN: 0021-972X [Print] United States
• PMID: 15797954 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Parathyroid Hormone
• Calcifediol

Topics

• Accidental Falls (statistics & numerical data)
• Activities of Daily Living
• Calcifediol (blood, deficiency)
• Demography
• Educational Status
• Female
• Fractures, Bone (epidemiology)
• Health Status
• Humans
• Income
• Middle Aged
• North America (epidemiology)
• Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal (drug therapy, prevention & control)
• Parathyroid Hormone (blood)
• Prevalence
• Regression Analysis
• Risk Factors
• Vitamin D Deficiency (epidemiology)