Vitamin D insufficiency tied to risk of osteoporosis in ageing women: Study

Written By : Dr. Shravani Dali |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2021-09-16T09:45:38+05:30 | Updated On 16 Sept 2021 9:45 AM IST

Low Vitamin D serum levels are associated with low bone mineral density in ageing women, suggests a study published in the Archives of Osteoporosis.Vitamin D insufficiency positively and significantly correlated with speed of sound (SOS) and stiffness index thereby indicating that low vitamin D levels predispose women to heightened risk of osteoporosis.

A group of Japanese authors conducted a study that showed an association between serum concentrations of vitamin D and bone health among community-dwelling adults in Japan after adjustment for confounding factors, with 730 participants in a city, with concentrations of 25(OH) vitamin D, and with parameters of quantitative ultrasound.

Their primary objective was to examine the correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and bone indicators as measured by quantitative ultrasound in middle-aged and older Japanese adults living in low-latitude seaside areas during summer and autumn.

The calcaneus stiffness index (SI), with its variables of broadband ultrasound (BUA) and speed of sound (SOS) help identify post-menopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD) and/or osteoporotic fracture.

The authors conducted a cross-sectional study, the Unzen study, on community-dwelling Japanese adults who participated to periodic health examinations between 2011 and 2013 (during the months of May to November).

The results of the study are as follows:

· A total of 301 men and 429 women participated in this study.

· Serum 25(OH)D levels and quantitative ultrasound parameters (broadband ultrasound (BUA), speed of sound (SOS), and a stiffness index of the calcaneus was measured for the participants.

· We excluded two men and 28 women from the 730 participants because they were on medication for osteoporosis. So, 299 men and 401 women were included in the final data analysis.

· The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency positively and significantly correlated with SOS and stiffness index but not with BUA (p = 0.176).

· In men, the log(25(OH)D) did not correlate with the BUA, SOS, or stiffness index.

Thus, the authors concluded that serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with speed of sound (SOS) or stiffness index in women but not in men.

Reference:

A study titled, "Association between vitamin D and bone mineral density in Japanese adults: the Unzen study" by Honda Y et. al published in the Archives of Osteoporosis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-021-00984-9

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Source : Archives of Osteoporosis

Dr. Shravani Dali

Dr. Shravani Dali has completed her BDS from Pravara institute of medical sciences, loni. Following which she extensively worked in the healthcare sector for 2+ years. She has been actively involved in writing blogs in field of health and wellness. Currently she is pursuing her Masters of public health-health administration from Tata institute of social sciences. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751