title: Calcifediol versus vitamin D3 effects on gait speed and trunk sway in young postmenopausal women: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.
abstract: In this double-blind RCT, 4-month treatment with calcifediol compared with vitamin D3 improved gait speed by 18% among young postmenopausal women. Consistently, change in 25(OH)D blood levels over time were significantly correlated with improvement in gait speed in these women. No effect could be demonstrated for trunk sway.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to test the effect of calcifediol compared with vitamin D3 on gait speed and trunk sway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy postmenopausal women with an average 25(OH)D level of 13.2 ng/ml (SD = ±3.9) and a mean age of 61.5 years (SD = ±7.2) were randomized to either 20 μg of calcifediol or 20 μg (800 IU) of vitamin D3 per day in a double-blind manner. At baseline and at 4 months of follow-up, the same physiotherapist blinded to treatment allocation tested 8-m gait speed and a body sway test battery (Sway star pitch and roll angle plus velocity while walking 8 m, and standing on both legs on a hard and soft surface). All analyses adjusted for baseline measurement, age, and body mass index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean 25(OH)D levels increased to 69.3 ng/ml (SD = ±9.5) in the calcifediol group and to 30.5 ng/ml (SD = ±5.0) in the vitamin D3 group (p < 0.0001). Women receiving calcifediol compared with vitamin D3 had an 18% greater improvement in gait speed at 4-month follow-up (p = 0.046) adjusting for baseline gait speed, age, and body mass index. Also, change in gait speed was significantly correlated with change in serum 25(OH)D concentrations (r = 0.5; p = 0.04). Across three tests of trunk sway, there were no consistent differences between groups and no significant correlation between change in 25(OH)D serum concentrations and change in trunk sway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calcifediol improved gait speed in early postmenopausal women compared with vitamin D3 and change in 25(OH)D level was moderately correlated with improvement in gait speed. A benefit on trunk sway could not be demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Clinic, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dawson-Hughes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sidelnikov
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grob
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Staehelin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Theiler
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Kressig
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Simmen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Theiler
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bischoff-Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000187:drug effects; D060726:Torso / Q000502:physiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D002117:Calcitriol; D002112:Calcifediol