Prevalence Of Vitamin D Inadequacy In European Postmenopausal Women Aged Over 80 Years

Olivier Bruyere¹, Justine Slomian¹, Charlotte Beaudart², Fanny Buckinx³, Etienne Cavalier⁴, Sophie Gillain⁵, Jean Petermans⁵ and Jean-Yves Reginster¹, ¹Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium, ²Public Health/Epidemiology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium, ³Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium, ⁴Department of Clinical Chemistry, CHU de Liege, Liege, Belgium, ⁵Geriatric Department, CHU de Liege, Liege, Belgium

Meeting: 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Vitamin D and menopause

Session Information

Title: Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease: Clinical Aspects and Pathogenesis

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose: Inadequate vitamin D level is associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism and increased bone turnover and bone loss, which in turn increases fracture risk. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of inadequate serum vitamin D levels in postmenopausal European women aged over 80 years. There are no clear international agreements on what constitutes a level of vitamin D inadequacy, but recent publications suggest that the circulating level of vitamin D should be over 75 nmol/L or at least between 50 and 75 nmol/L.

Methods:

Assessment of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was performed in 8532 European postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia of which 1984 were aged over 80 years. European countries included France, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Hungary, United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. Two cut-offs of 25(OH)D inadequacy were fixed : < 75 nmol/L and < 50 nmol/L.

Results:

Mean (SD) age of the patients was 83.4 (2.9) years, body mass index was 25.0 (4.0) kg/m². Level of 25(OH)D was 53.3 (26.7) nmol/L. There was a highly significant difference of 25(OH)D level across European countries ( p < 0.0001) with the lowest level of 25(OH)D found in France [47.7 (26.4) nmol/L]. In these women aged over 80 years, the prevalence of 25(OH)D inadequacy was 88.6% and 53.4% when considering cut-offs of 75 and 50 nmol/L, respectively. In the 397 (20.0%) patients taking supplemental vitamin D with or without supplemental calcium, the mean serum 25-OH-D level was significantly higher than in the other patients (65.2 (29.2) nmol/L vs. 50.3 (25.2) nmol/L ; P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

This study indicates a high prevalence of vitamin D [25(OH)D] inadequacy in old European women. The prevalence could be even higher in some particular countries. A greater awareness of the importance of vitamin D inadequacy is needed to address this public health problem.

Disclosure:

O. Bruyere,
None;

J. Slomian,
None;

C. Beaudart,
None;

F. Buckinx,
None;

E. Cavalier,
None;

S. Gillain,
None;

J. Petermans,
None;

J. Y. Reginster,
None.

« Back to 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-of-vitamin-d-inadequacy-in-european-postmenopausal-women-aged-over-80-years/