Vitamin D and bone mineral density

Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and the neck of femur and se rum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), intact parathyroid hormo ne (PTH), alkaline phosphatase, calcium, albumin, creatinine and phosphate were measured in a group of 166 postmenopausal women (30-79 years) attendin g a bone clinic for bone density measurements. Four subjects with suspected primary hyperparathyroidism were excluded from analysis. BMD at the lumbar spine was correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.278. p=0.0003), age (r = -0.194, p = 0.0134) and serum 25OHD (r = 0.188, p = 0.0167). BMD at t he neck of femur correlated with BMI (r = 0.391, p < 0.0001), age (r = -0.3 56, p < 0.0001), PTH (r = -0.156, p = 0.047) and serum 25OHD (r = 0.231, p = 0.0031). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that age, BMI and s erum 25OHD contributed to the variation in BMD at lumbar spine. At the neck of femur, PTH was an additional contributor. We conclude that serum 25OHD makes a contribution to BMD a lumbar spine and neck of femur.