Diet acids and alkalis influence calcium retention in bone.

The urine-acidifying properties of food constituents depend on their content of non-oxidizable acids or precursors. Acidifying constituents such as animal proteins may negatively affect calcium metabolism and accelerate bone resorption, thus representing an aggravating factor for osteoporosis. This four-period, double-crossover study investigated whether a diet intervention specifically focused on acid load could modify calcium metabolism in humans. Eight healthy volunteers underwent a four-day metabolic preparation with two types of diets, one rich in acid ash-forming nutrients, and one providing base-forming nutrients (including bicarbonate-rich mineral water), both having similar contents of calcium, phosphate, sodium, proteins and calories. On the fourth day, a single oral dose of 1 g calcium was given, either as carbonate or as gluconolactate. Serial blood and urine samples revealed that the diet affected blood pH (average difference 0.014, p=0.002) and urine pH (average difference 1.02, p<0.0001) in the expected direction, but had no influence on the absorption of the calcium supplement. The acid-forming diet increased urinary calcium excretion by 74% when compared with the base-forming diet (p<0.0001), both at baseline and after the oral calcium load, and C-telopeptide excretion by 19% (p=0.01), suggesting a skeletal origin for the excess calcium output. This observation confirms that renally excreted acids derived from food influence calcium metabolism, and that alkalizing nutrients inhibit bone resorption. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical impact of dietary counseling for avoiding diet acids as a preventive measure against osteoporosis.

Effect of supplementation with vitamin D3 and calcium on quantitative ultrasound of bone in elderly institutionalized women: a longitudinal study.

Supplementation of elderly institutionalized women with vitamin D and calcium decreased hip fractures and increased hip bone mineral density. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements can be performed in nursing homes, and easily repeated for follow-up. However, the effect of the correction of vitamin D deficiency on QUS parameters is not known. Therefore, 248 institutionalized women aged 62-98 years were included in a 2-year open controlled study. They were randomized into a treated group (n = 124), receiving 440 IU of vitamin D3 combined with 500 mg calcium (1250 mg calcium carbonate, Novartis) twice daily, and a control group (n = 124). One hundred and three women (42%), aged 84.5 +/- 7.5 years, completed the study: 50 in the treated group, 53 in the controls. QUS of the calcaneus, which measures BUA (broadband ultrasound attenuation) and SOS (speed of sound), and biochemical analysis were performed before and after 1 and 2 years of treatment. Only the results of the women with a complete follow-up were taken into account. Both groups had low initial mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (11.9 +/- 1.2 and 11.7 +/- 1.2 micrograms/l; normal range 6.4-40.2 micrograms/l) and normal mean serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (43.1 +/- 3.2 and 44.6 +/- 3.5 ng/l; normal range 10-70 ng/l, normal mean 31.8 +/- 2.3 ng/l). The treatment led to a correction of the metabolic disturbances, with an increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D by 123% (p < 0.01) and a decrease in PTH by 18% (p < 0.05) and of alkaline phosphatase by 15% (p < 0.01). In the controls there was a worsening of the hypovitaminosis D, with a decrease of 25-hydroxyvitamin D by 51% (p < 0.01) and an increase in PTH by 51% (p < 0.01), while the serum calcium level decreased by only 2% (p < 0.01). After 2 years of treatment BUA increased significantly by 1.6% in the treated group (p < 0.05), and decreased by 2.3% in the controls (p < 0.01). Therefore, the difference in BUA between the treated subjects and the controls (3.9%) was significant after 2 years (p < 0.01). However, SOS decreased by the same amount in both groups (approximately 0.5%). In conclusion, BUA, but not SOS, reflected the positive effect on bone of supplementation with calcium and vitamin D3 in a population of elderly institutionalized women.

Dose-response in the treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy by a single infusion of the bisphosphonate AHPrBP.

Fifty-two patients with malignant hypercalcemia were treated with a single dose of 3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene-1,1- bisphosphonate (AHPrBP, previously APD), a potent inhibitor of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. In order to establish a dose-response in humans, patients were divided into four groups receiving 30 mg, 45 mg, 60 mg, or 90 mg, respectively, as a 24-hour infusion. Initial plasma calcium was similar in all groups, except in the group receiving 90 mg, of which some patients had higher initial values. All patients responded to AHPrBP with a rapid decrease of plasma calcium concentration from 3.47 +/- 0.10 mmol/L at day 0 to 2.43 +/- 0.06 at day 6 (P less than .001). Plasma calcium became normal within four to six days in 43 patients. Eight of the nine patients whose calcium did not become normal were in the low-dose (30 and 45 mg of AHPrBP) groups. Slight and asymptomatic hypocalcemia occurred in only tow of the 26 patients in the low-dose groups, but in six of the 26 patients in the high-dose groups. A follow-up study in 40 patients showed that hypercalcemia recurred within 1 month in five of ten patients in the group receiving 30 mg, in three of ten patients in the group receiving 45 mg, and in one of 20 patients in the groups receiving 60 and 90 mg, whereas mortality was almost identical in all four groups. In all groups, plasma phosphate, plasma creatinine, urinary calcium, and hydroxyproline excretion decreased significantly. In conclusion, when administered as a single-day infusion in the treatment of tumor hypercalcemia, AHPrBP leads to a dose-dependent decrease in plasma calcium. To prevent transient hypocalcemia and early relapse, the optimal dose should be adapted to the degree of severity of hypercalcemia.

[Treatment of neoplastic hypercalcemia using single-infusion diphosphonate]. / Traitement de l'hypercalcémie tumorale par un diphosphonate en perfusion unique.

40 patients with malignant hypercalcemia were treated with a single dose of APD, a potent inhibitor of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. In order to establish a dose response in man, the patients were divided into four groups receiving 30, 45, 60 or 90 mg respectively as 24-hour infusion. Initial plasma calcium was similar in all groups except that receiving 90 mg, some of whose patients had higher initial values. All patients responded to APD with a rapid decrease of plasma calcium concentration from 3.44 +/- 0.10 mmol/l at day 0 to 2.33 +/- 0.06 at day 6, p less than 0.001). Plasma calcium became normal within 4 to 6 days in all patients but 6, all from the group receiving the low doses of APD (30 or 45 mg). Slight and asymptomatic hypocalcemia occurred in only 2 patients of the low dose groups, but in 6 of the high dose groups. A follow-up study in 40 patients showed that hypercalcemia recurred within 2 months in 6 patients of group 30 mg, in 5 patients of group 45 mg, in 1 patient of group 60 mg and in 2 patients of group 90 mg, whereas mortality was almost identical in the 4 groups. When retreated with a single dose of APD, all patients again showed normalization of calcemia. In all groups plasma phosphate, plasma creatinine and urinary calcium excretion decreased significantly. Clinical improvement was observed in all patients, with minimal side effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Incidence of hyperoxaluria in idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis]. / Incidence de l'hyperoxalurie dans la lithiase rénale calcique idiopathique.

Urinary excretion rate of oxalate was measured in 79 patients with idiopathic calcium (Ca) nephrolithiasis and the results were compared with those obtained in 28 healthy volunteers. The group of stone formers consisted of 20 patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria (IHC) of the absorptive type, 23 patients with IHC of the renal type, 11 patients with hypercalciuria secondary to dietary factors, 1 patient with hyperuricosuria (as an isolated finding) and 24 patients without hypercalciuria nor hyperuricosuria. Classification was based upon the urinary excretion rate of uric acid, as well as that of calcium measured under 3 different dietary conditions (i.e. free diet, free diet supplemented with 3 g Ca/day for 3 days, and diet free of dairy products for 5 days). On a free diet, normal values of oxaluria ranged from 125 to 435 mumol/24 h; an elevated value was observed in 11 (14%) patients, 5 of whom belonged to the subgroup without hypercalciuria nor hyperuricosuria. On a low Ca diet, mild hyperoxaluria occurred in 3 controls and in 19 patients, the tendency to develop hyperoxaluria being particularly marked in the subgroup with absorptive-IHC. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between oxaluria on a low Ca diet and the estimated degree of intestinal absorption of Ca. This study confirms the finding that on a free diet, the incidence of mild hyperoxaluria amongst idiopathic stone formers is rather low. It shows, however, that a significant percentage of patients classically referred to as "without metabolic disorder" have in fact slight hyperoxaluria, an observation with a potential therapeutic impact. Finally, it shows that on a low Ca diet, patients with absorptive-IHC are particularly prone to develop hyperoxaluria: the latter observation renders questionable the relevance of a low Ca diet for patients with absorptive IHC, unless their intake of oxalate is simultaneously reduced.