Vitamin D
is essential for calcium metabolism. Vitamin D deficiency can precipitate
osteoporosis, cause muscle weakness and increase the risk of fracture. The aim
of this study was to assess the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy among
non-supplemented postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and fragility fractures
of the hip or vertebrae in Taiwan.
This
multi-center, cross-sectional, observational study analyzed the vitamin D
inadequacy [defined as 25(OH) D level less than 30 ng/mL] in Taiwanese
postmenopausal osteoporotic patients who suffered from a low trauma,
non-pathological fragility hip or vertebral fracture that received
post-fracture medical care when admitted to hospital or at an outpatient
clinic. A total of 199 patients were enrolled at eight medical centers in
Taiwan; 194 patients met the study criteria with 113 (58.2%) and 81 (41.8%)
patients diagnosed with hip and vertebral fracture, respectively.
The mean
serum 25(OH) D level was 21.1 +/-9.3 ng/mL, and 86.6% of the patients were
found to be vitamin D inadequate. This
study found a high prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy across all age groups
among non-supplemented women with osteoporosis and fragility hip or vertebral
fracture in Taiwan.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/15/257/abstract