Abstract

COMPARISON OF ORAL AND INJECTABLE VITAMIN D ON BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN PERI AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH HYPOVITAMINOSIS D

Nikita Kumari, *Dr. Rekha Bharti, Bindu Bajaj, Renuka Sinha, Pratima Mittal

ABSTRACT

Background: Vitamin D deficiency in peri and postmenopausal women is associated with poor bone health and may lead to osteoporotic fractures. Supplimentation with Calcium and vitamin D by both oral and intramuscular routes improves serum vitamin D levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with hypovitaminosis D. Material & Methods: Women between 45 to 65 years were enrolled over a period of 6 months. Serum 25(OH)D levels were determined and women with vitamin D levels below <30 ng/ml were given vitamin D by either oral or intramuscular route along with oral calcium 1000 mg per day for 1 year. Baseline serum calcium and BMD at femur neck and lumber spine were done. The women were followed at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after starting treatment with oral or intramuscular vitamin D. Serum 25(OH)D and calcium levels were done at each visit and BMD at femur neck and lumber spine were done at 6 and 12 months. Results: A total of 100 women were tested for vitamin D levels, 70% of these women had vitamin D levels <30 ng/ml. The response of both oral and intramuscular vitamin D on serum 25(OH)D levels was good, but after intramuscular vitamin D levels were sustained in sufficient range for 12 months in 85.7% women as compared to 22.9% in the oral group. There was no difference in the serum calcium levels in both groups. The BMD at femur neck and lumber spine did not show any improvement after 6 and 12 months of therapy. Conclusion: Most of the women in the peri and postmenopausal age group have vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplementation by both oral and intramuscular route is not associated with improvement of BMD at femur neck or lumber spine.

Keywords: vitamin D, bone mineral density, postmenopausal women, perimenopausal.