title: Vitamin D2 dose required to rapidly increase 25OHD levels in osteoporotic women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of the effectiveness and safety of high daily 125 microg (5,000 IU) or 250 microg (10,000IU) doses of vitamin D(2) during 3 months, in rapidly obtaining adequate 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postmenopausal osteopenic/osteoporotic women (n = 38) were studied during winter and spring. Median age (25-75th percentile) was 61.5 (57.00-66.25) years, and mean bone mineral density (BMD) was 0.902 (0.800-1.042)g/cm(2). Subjects were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n=13): no vitamin D(2), 125 mug/day (n=13) and 250 microg/day (n=12) of vitamin D(2) groups, all receiving 500 mg calcium/day. Serum calcium, phosphate, bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), C-telopeptide (CTX), 25OHD, mid-molecule parathyroid hormone (mmPTH), daily urinary calcium and creatinine excretion were determined at baseline and monthly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all subjects (n=38), the median baseline 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) level was 36.25 (27.5-48.12) nmol/l. After 3 months, 8% of the patients in the control group, 50% in the 125 microg/day group and 75% in the 250 microg/day group had 25OHD values above 85 nmol/l (34 ng/ml). Considering both vitamin D(2) groups together, mmPTH and BAP levels diminished significantly after 3 months (P<0.02), unlike those of CTX. Serum calcium remained within normal range during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oral dose of vitamin D(2) required to rapidly achieve adequate levels of 25OHD is seemingly much higher than the usual recommended vitamin D(3) dose (20 mug/day). During 3 months, 250 microg/day of vitamin D(2) most effectively raised 25OHD levels to 85 nmol/l in 75% of the postmenopausal osteopenic/osteoporotic women treated.
authors.affiliation: Sección Osteopatías Médicas, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. osteologia@ciudad.com.ar
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mastaglia
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mautalen
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oliveri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D012449:Safety; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D004872:Ergocalciferols; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010455:Peptides; D010710:Phosphates; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D003404:Creatinine; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium