Vitamin D and bone fracture mechanisms: what about the non-bone 'D'efense?
Osteoporosis is a public health concern because of its high prevalence and consequences in terms of morbidity, mortality and health care costs (1). This growing epidemic highlights the problem of the 'knowledge paradox': on one hand there is an increase in medical knowledge about osteoporotic fractures but, on the other hand, the amount of bone fractures keeps increasing (1-3). In this context, any strategy preventing the occurrence of bone fractures, such as vitamin D supplementation, is welcome. For instance, a very recent meta analysis from Bischoff-Ferarri et al. underlined the efficacy of oral supplemental vitamin D, regardless of any additional calcium supplementation, in non-vertebral fractures prevention among more than 42,000 adults aged 65 years and older (2).
Annweiler
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Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Angers University Hospital, France. CeAnnweiler@chu-angers.fr <CeAnnweiler@chu-angers.fr>
Beauchet
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O
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D