[Vitamine D in patients with osteoporosis: sufficient or necessary?].
Vitamin D is essential for intestinal calcium absorption, bone mineralisation and plays an important role in neuromuscular functions. Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and in the elderly. In turn, supplements of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), and to a lesser extent vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), may decrease falls and fracture risk by 25%. Despite some recent negative studies, the actual question is not to know whether vitamin D is necessary, but rather how much vitamin D is sufficient to prevent secondary hyperparathyroidism, falls and fractures. Moreover, the risk of osteoporosis and of fragility fractures may be influenced by genetic variation in the vitamin D receptor (VDR).
Service des maladies osseuses Centre collaborateur de I'OMS pour la prevention de l'ostéoporose, Département de rehabilitation et gériatrie, HUG, 1211 Genève. Serge.ferrari@medecine.unige.ch
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D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000368:Aged; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006962:Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary / Q000517:prevention & control; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000378:metabolism; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000032:analysis
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004872:Ergocalciferols; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D002118:Calcium