Association between atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, the role of vitamin D

The latest data support the correlation of atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, indicating the parallel progression of two tissue destruction processes with increased fatal and non-fatal coronary events, as well as higher fracture risk. Vitamin D inadequacy associated with low bone mineral density increases fall and fracture risk, leads to secondary hyperparathyroidism, calcifies coronary arteries and significantly increases cardiovascular disease. Randomized clinical trial evidence related to extraskeletal vitamin D outcomes was limited and generally uninformative. A recent recommendation on vitamin D dietary requirements for bone health is 600 IU/d for ages 1-70 years and 800 IU/d for 71 years and older, corresponding to a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of at least 20 ng/ml (50 nmol/l). Further large randomized controlled trials are needed to reassess laboratory ranges for 25-hydroxyvitamin D in both diseases, in order to avoid under- and over-treatment problems, and completely clarify the relationship between atherosclerosis and osteoporosis

Bone and Phosphate in Relation to Health, Survival and Genetic Factors

In this thesis, we found that a) low bone mineral density was related to increased mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and b) increased serum phosphate, even at normal levels, was related to fracture risk, low BMD at the lumbar spine and coronary artery calcification. For the latter association, we found evidence of causality, due to the implementation of Mendelian Randomization technique. All our results were more consistent or even unique in men. The genetic analyses on phosphate levels identified 264 loci in the human genome and highlighted the importance of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (6p21.3) also on phosphate levels, as the top hit mapped to the flanking region of the MHC. Interestingly, the same finding has been described in White British and East Asian Japanese populations. Our next step will be the replication in BioBank Japan followed by trans-ethnic meta-analysis and Bayesian fine-mapping

A Radiographic Study on the Associations of Age and Prevalence of Vertebral Fractures with Abdominal Aortic Calcification in Japanese Postmenopausal Women and Men

The purpose of the present study was to determine the associations of age and history of non- and low-traumatic fractures with the severity of abdominal aortic calcification in Japanese postmenopausal women and men. Four hundred and one Japanese persons (24 men and 377 postmenopausal women, mean age: 73.8 years) for whom thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs had been obtained to evaluate their posture prior to patient participation in a fall-prevention exercise program were enrolled. The associations of sex, age, history of hip fracture, prevalence of vertebral fracture, and spondylosis grade (the Nathan degree) with the severity of abdominal aortic calcification (length of calcification, as evaluated according to the number of vertebral bodies) were analyzed. Nine subjects (2.2%) had a history of hip fracture, and 221 (55.1%) had at least one prevalent vertebral fracture. Two hundred and sixty-seven subjects (66.6%) had first-degree spondylosis. Age and the number of prevalent vertebral fractures, but not sex, history of hip fracture, or spondylosis grade, were significantly associated with the severity of abdominal aortic calcification. The present study confirmed that age and the number of vertebral fractures were associated with the severity of abdominal aortic calcification in Japanese postmenopausal women and men

Epidemiologic studies on bone mineral density and fractures

Osteoporosis is currently defined as a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectnral deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. The burden of fractures is substantial, both in terms of individual and public health. The most serious fracture, i.e. hip fracture, is associated with a high mortality rate of approximately 25 % within one year and a considerable decline of physical and social functions. Hip fracture is not a rare event. On average, the lifetime risk of a hip fracture for a 50 year old woman is approximately 16 % 4. The total number of incident hip fractures in the Netherlands was 10360 in 1987 and it is expected that, partly as a consequence of aging of the population, this number will have exceeded 20000 by the year of 2010. The general aim of the thesis is to study determinants of bone density and consequences of vertebral fractures or deformities

Timeliness and content of retraction notices for publications by a single research group

Funding The study received no specific funding. MB is the recipient of an HRC Clinical Practitioner Fellowship. The Health Services Research Unit is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. The authors are independent of the HRC. The HRC had no role in study design, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, the writing of the article, or the decision to submit it for publication.Peer reviewedPostprin