title: MENOPOST--calcium and vitamin D supplementation in postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment: a descriptive cohort study.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Adequate vitamin D/calcium supplementation during osteoporosis (OP) treatments seems insufficient. This cohort study within a national claims database evaluated calcium/vitamin D co-prescription in postmenopausal women initiating an OP treatment. A high co-prescription rate was observed with three quarters of women supplemented with calcium and/or vitamin D in agreement with current recommendations.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Adequate calcium/vitamin D supplementation should be taken in combination with antiresorptive drugs in OP treatment. Despite guidelines, supplementation appears to be insufficient. The objective of this study was to describe and estimate co-prescription rates of calcium/vitamin D among postmenopausal women initiating an OP treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  All women over 50 years with a first claim for a bisphosphonates, raloxifene, or strontium prescription filled between May and August 2010 were included in a retrospective cohort study. Data source was the health insurance claims database of the Rhône-Alpes area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 4,415 women, 77.0 % had co-prescription of calcium or vitamin D with initial OP treatment, of which 2,150 (49.7 %) had both calcium and vitamin D. The proportion of women with calcium and/or vitamin D (81.7 %) was significantly higher when OP treatment was a bisphosphonate compared to strontium (70.9 %) or raloxifene (67.0 %) (p < 0.05). Among women prescribed both calcium and vitamin D, 7.6 % received a bisphosphonate and vitamin D ± calcium fixed-combination pack. General practitioners prescribed two thirds of initial supplementation treatment (66.9 %). Patients were twice as likely to be prescribed supplementation when the prescriber was a rheumatologist (OR = 2; 95 % CI = 1.57-2.54).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three quarters of women initiating OP treatment were supplemented with calcium and/or vitamin D in agreement with current recommendations. This represents a high co-prescription rate.
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pôle Information Médicale Evaluation Recherche, Unité d'Epidémiologie, Lyon, F69003, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reymondier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caillet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abbas-Chorfa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jaglal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chapurlat
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schott
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013876:Thiophenes; C081587:strontium ranelate; D014807:Vitamin D; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D002118:Calcium