Bone mineral density and vitamin D status in older women with and without metabolic syndrome

Abstract

This study investigated associations between serum 25‐ hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and bone mineral density (BMD) in women >50 years of age with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS as defined by the International Diabetes Foundation was waist >88 cm with two additional factors from elevated blood pressure, serum triglycerides or glucose or decreased HDL‐cholesterol. Forty women, half with metabolic syndrome (MetS), had whole body, lumbar spine, hip and forearm BMD assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (Immunodiagnostics Systems Ltd., Fountain Hills, AZ). No women had 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L, 15% were between 25 ‐ <50, 55% were between 50‐<75, and 30% had ≥ 75 nmol/L. Mean (SD) for 25(OH)D was 62 (18) for women with MetS and was not significantly different (p<0.10) from the mean of 71 (15) for control women. Z scores for BMD for age were higher in the lumbar spine (p<0.0004) and hip regions (p<.0024) for women in the MetS group and BMD tended to be higher (p<0.06) in the whole body in the MetS group. BMD was not significantly different in the forearm between control and MetS groups. Overall, serum 25(OH)D did not correlate significantly with BMD in the sites measured. (Supported by Wentz Foundation and Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, W2002)