Comparison of the absorption of calcium carbonate and calcium citrate after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

INTRODUCTION: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) restricts food intake. Consequently, patients consume less calcium. In addition, food no longer passes through the duodenum, the main site of calcium absorption. Therefore, calcium absorption is significantly impaired. The goal of this study is to compare two common calcium supplements in gastric bypass patients. METHOD: Nineteen patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover study comparing the absorption of calcium from calcium carbonate and calcium citrate salts. Serum and urine calcium levels were assessed for peak values (C (max)) and cumulative calcium increment (area under the curve [AUC]). Serum PTH was assessed for minimum values (PTH(min)) and cumulative PTH decrement (AUC). Statistical analysis was performed using a repeated analysis of variance model. RESULTS: Eighteen subjects completed the study. Calcium citrate resulted in a significantly higher serum C (max) (9.4 + 0.4 mg/dl vs. 9.2 + 0.3 mg/dl, p = 0.02) and serum AUC (55 + 2 mg/dl vs. 54 + 2 mg/dl, p = 0.02). Calcium citrate resulted in a significantly lower PTH(min) (24 + 11 pg/ml vs. 30 + 13 pg/ml, p = 0.01) and a higher AUC (-32 + 51 pg/ml vs. -3 + 56 pg/ml, p = 0.04). There was a non-significant trend for higher urinary AUC in the calcium citrate group (76.13 + 36.39 mg/6 h vs. 66.04 + 40.82, p = 0.17). CONCLUSION: Calcium citrate has superior bioavailability than calcium carbonate in RYGB patients.

Meta-analysis of calcium bioavailability: a comparison of calcium citrate with calcium carbonate.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis of data from available published trials comparing the bioavailability of calcium carbonate with that of calcium citrate. DATA SOURCES: The whole set was comprised of 15 studies involving 184 subjects who underwent measurement of calcium absorption from calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Category A excluded four studies for lack of physiological relevance, use of a mixed preparation with low content of calcium carbonate, or wide variability in results. Category B was comprised of five studies (from Category A) involving 71 subjects who took calcium supplements on an empty stomach. Category C was comprised of six studies (from Category A) involving 65 subjects who took calcium preparations with meals. METHOD: The meta-analysis of calcium absorption data from calcium carbonate and calcium citrate, with calculation of effect size and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Calcium absorption from calcium citrate was consistently significantly higher than that from calcium carbonate by 20.0% in the whole set, by 24.0% in Category A, by 27.2% on an empty stomach, and by 21.6% with meals. CONCLUSION: Calcium citrate is better absorbed than calcium carbonate by approximately 22% to 27%, either on an empty stomach or co-administered with meals.

The effect of calcium citrate on bone density in the early and mid-postmenopausal period: a randomized placebo-controlled study.

This placebo-controlled randomized trial was conducted to ascertain the value of calcium citrate supplementation in averting bone loss in 63 postmenopausal women, 57 of whom were early postmenopausal (five years after menopause) and six of whom were mid-postmenopausal (five to ten years after menopause). Bone density data were available for 25 women who took 800 mg of calcium citrate daily and 31 women who received placebo for one to two years. The two groups were similar in baseline age, years postmenopause (3.3 in the calcium citrate group vs 2.7 in the placebo group), height, weight, calcium intake, and L2-L4 bone density. L2-L4 bone density did not change during calcium citrate treatment (+ 1.03% after two years), whereas it declined significantly by -2.38% after two years on placebo (P < .001). Femoral neck bone density did not change in either group. Radial shaft bone density did not change in the calcium citrate group (-0.02% after two years), but it declined significantly in the placebo group (-1.79% after one year and -3.03% after two years, P < .01). The difference in bone density of the L2-L4 vertebrae and radial shaft after two years of treatment was significant between the two groups. An analysis of covariance disclosed no significant effect of calcium citrate on L2-L4 bone density during the first three years after menopause, but a protective effect after three years. Although serum PTH did not change, serum and urinary calcium increased and serum calcitriol and urinary phosphorus decreased in the calcium citrate group, indicative of parathyroid suppression. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin, and urinary hydroxyproline and N-telopeptide decreased during some calcium citrate treatment periods, indicative of a reduction in bone turnover. Thus, calcium citrate supplementation (400 mg of calcium twice daily) averted bone loss and stabilized bone density in the spine, femoral neck, and radial shaft in women relatively soon after menopause. This bone-sparing action was probably due to the inhibition of bone resorption from parathyroid suppression.

Dietary sulfate regulates the expression of the renal brush border Na/Si cotransporter NaSi-1.

Dietary inorganic sulfate (Si) intake is an important factor in the regulation of renal proximal tubular sodium-dependent Si transport (Na/Si cotransport). The purpose of the present study was to determine whether modulation of Na/Si cotransport activity by dietary Si is mediated through regulation of the renal expression of the recently cloned NaSi-1 protein located in the apical brush border membrane (BBM) of the proximal tubule. It was found that rats fed a high Si diet had a marked increase in the renal excretion of Si and a concomitant decrease in BBM Na/Si cotransport activity when compared with rats on a control Si diet. The 43% decrease in BBM Na/Si cotransport activity was associated with a 33% decrease in BBM NaSi-1 protein abundance, as determined by Western blotting, and a 2.7-fold decrease in cortical NaSi-1 mRNA abundance, as determined by Northern blotting. Furthermore, cortical mRNA from rats fed a high Si diet when injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes led to a 2.2-fold decrease in Na/Si cotransport activity compared with mRNA isolated from control Si diet rats. This study indicates that adaptation to a high Si diet is accompanied by a decrease in renal cortical NaSi-1 mRNA abundance, which results in reduced expression of the NaSi-1 protein at the level of the proximal tubular BBM.

Limited risk of kidney stone formation during long-term calcium citrate supplementation in nonstone forming subjects.

The physiological and physicochemical effects of long-term calcium citrate supplementation (25 mmol. calcium per day) were assessed in 7 normal premenopausal women. Calcium citrate increased urinary calcium from 3.27 +/- 0.42 mmol. per day (standard deviation) before treatment to 5.16 +/- 0.75 mmol. per day after 1-month of treatment (p < 0.0125). After 3 months of treatment urinary calcium decreased from the 1-month value to 4.54 +/- 0.67 mmol. per day (p < 0.0125) but remained higher than the pretreatment value (p < 0.0125). Fractional intestinal calcium absorption and serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels decreased marginally at 1 month of calcium citrate therapy, from 0.457 +/- 0.092 to 0.374 +/- 0.035 (p < 0.05) and from 103 +/- 7 to 77 +/- 14 pmol./l. (p < 0.05), respectively. After 3 months of treatment fractional intestinal calcium absorption decreased further to 0.341 +/- 0.061 (p < 0.0125 compared to pretreatment), whereas serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D remained unchanged at 82 +/- 14 pmol./l. Calcium citrate treatment decreased urinary phosphorus levels significantly from 18.9 +/- 3.3 to 15.0 +/- 2.5 mmol. per day (p < 0.0125) and 14.0 +/- 2.5 mmol. per day (p < 0.05) at 1 and 3 months, respectively. Mean urinary oxalate decreased by 15 to 20% and urinary citrate increased marginally during treatment. Urinary saturation of calcium oxalate and brushite did not change during calcium citrate therapy, except at 1 month when the saturation of calcium oxalate increased marginally. The inhibitory activity of urine against spontaneous nucleation of calcium oxalate and brushite (formation product) did not change during treatment. In conclusion, long-term calcium citrate supplementation in normal subjects does not increase the propensity for crystallization of calcium salts in the urine. This protective effect is probably due to the attenuated increase in urinary calcium excretion (from a decrease in fractional intestinal calcium absorption), a decrease in urinary phosphorus and an increase in urinary citrate.

Slow-release sodium fluoride in the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether intermittent treatment with slow-release sodium fluoride and continuous calcium citrate supplementation inhibits vertebral fractures without causing fluoride complications. DESIGN: A placebo-controlled, randomized trial. SETTING: Outpatient setting of specialty clinics in Dallas and Temple, Texas. INTERVENTIONS: Slow-release sodium fluoride (25 mg twice daily) in repeated 14-month cycles (12 months on treatment followed by 2 months off treatment) compared with placebo. Both groups took calcium citrate (400 mg calcium twice daily) continuously. PATIENTS: 110 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis were randomly assigned to two groups. In the slow-release sodium fluoride group, 48 of 54 patients completed more than 1 cycle of treatment (mean, 2.44 cycles/patient), whereas 51 of 56 patients in the placebo group completed at least 1 cycle (mean, 2.14 cycles/patient) in this interim analysis. MEASUREMENTS: Vertebral fracture rate and lumbar bone mineral content. Vertebral fractures were quantified from yearly radiographs. Bone mass was determined annually by densitometry. RESULTS: In the sodium fluoride group, the mean L2 to L4 bone mineral content increased by 4% to 6% in each cycle and the mean femoral neck bone density increased by 4.1% and 2.1% during the first two cycles, but the radial bone density did not change. The placebo group showed no statistical change in bone mass at any site. Compared with the placebo group, the sodium fluoride group had a lower individual new vertebral fracture rate (0.057/patient cycle compared with 0.204/patient cycle, P = 0.017), a higher fracture-free rate (83.3% compared with 64.7%, P = 0.042), and a lower group fracture rate (0.085/patient cycle compared with 0.239/patient cycle, P = 0.006). The side-effect profile was similar for the two groups; no patient developed microfractures, hip fractures, or blood loss anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent slow-release sodium fluoride plus continuous calcium citrate, administered for about 2.5 years, inhibits new vertebral fractures, increases the mean spinal bone mass without decreasing the radial shaft bone density, and is safe to use.

Assessment by reflection ultrasound method of the effect of intermittent slow-release sodium fluoride-calcium citrate therapy on material strength of bone.

It has been suggested that fluoride therapy, while increasing bone mass, produces bone with inferior mechanical properties. In the present report this hypothesis was tested using a novel reflection ultrasound technique. Transiliac crest bone biopsies were obtained from 16 patients with osteoporosis and vertebral compression fractures (12 women and 4 men, mean age 56 years) before and after approximately 2 years of intermittent slow-release sodium fluoride therapy (25 mg twice a day) combined with continuous calcium citrate supplementation. Samples were analyzed by a reflection ultrasound method, which analyzes ultrasound velocity with a sample site resolution of 200 microns and thus provides a measure of the mechanical property of single trabeculae (material). For the group, mean fractional change in velocity increased 6.1 +/- 2.3% (SEM) from a mean value of 3303 +/- 80 to 3484 +/- 55 m/s (p = 0.028). A total of 13 patients (81%) demonstrated higher velocities after treatment. Thus reflection ultrasound analysis of bone appears to provide a sensitive means of assessing changes in the material property of bone. Furthermore, these results suggest that the treatment regimen utilized in these patients improves strength of bone at the material or trabecular level largely independently of change in bone mass. The combination therapy also increased spinal (L2-L4) bone density for the group as assessed by dual-photon absorptiometry (5.3 +/- 2.0%). There was no significant correlation between the change in ultrasound velocity and bone density (r = 0.0026, p = 0.996).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of intermittent therapy with a slow-release fluoride preparation.

Long-term clinical effects of intermittent sodium fluoride (slow-release) therapy were assessed in 71 patients with primary osteoporosis. In Group I (receiving 1,25-(OH)2D3 2 micrograms/day for 2 weeks before 3 months of sodium fluoride treatment 25 mg twice a day, in each 5-month cycle), vertebral (L2-L4) bone mineral content did not change significantly. However, the L2-L4 bone mineral content significantly increased by 3.1% in Group II (those who did not receive 1,25-(OH)2D3 during 5-month cycle), 3.5% per patient year in Group III (combined NaF 25 mg twice a day with 1,25-(OH)2D3 0.5 micrograms/day for 12 months in each 13-month cycle), and by 7.8% per patient year in Group IV (combined NaF with calcium citrate for 12 months in each 13-month cycle). The rise in vertebral bone mineral content was sustained, with an annual increment of 4.2% during the third year compared with 4.4% during the first year. The vertebral fracture rate declined significantly from the pretreatment value in all groups, but comparison with a placebo control group was not available. There was no significant change in the bone density of the radial shaft or of the proximal femur. The rate of hip fracture (nontraumatic) during treatment was 1.8% per patient year, the same as before treatment. The drug was well tolerated with only minor infrequent gastrointestinal and rheumatic side effects. Thus, intermittent slow-release sodium fluoride treatment with adequate calcium supplementation augments spinal bone mass and apparently inhibits vertebral fractures, with a satisfactory safety of usage; however, it has no effect on appendicular bone mass or on hip fracture rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Safe and effective treatment of osteoporosis with intermittent slow release sodium fluoride: augmentation of vertebral bone mass and inhibition of fractures.

The value of intermittent slow release sodium fluoride treatment in the management of osteoporosis was studied by a comprehensive metabolic and clinical assessment during a long term trial. Its effect was compared with that of a large dose of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D] given for a short period preceding each fluoride treatment period in another group of randomly selected patients. The 24 patients in group I (3 idiopathic and 21 postmenopausal) received cyclic treatment in repeated 5-month cycles; each cycle was initiated by 1,25-(OH)2D (2 micrograms/day) for 2 weeks, followed for 3 months by sodium fluoride (slow release, 25 mg twice daily) with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (50 micrograms twice weekly) and calcium supplements (to bring total calcium intake to 1500 mg/day), and was concluded by 6 weeks of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium supplementation without sodium fluoride. The 21 patients in group II (3 idiopathic and 18 postmenopausal) received the same treatment, except for the omission of 1,25-(OH)2D. In both groups, the serum fluoride level was maintained within 5-10 mumol/L (95-190 ng/mL) during fluoride treatment, and serum osteocalcin concentrations correlated positively with the duration of treatment. However, vertebral bone mineral content (L2-L4) did not increase significantly in group I, whereas it rose significantly in group II (fractional change, +0.031/2.4 yr in group I vs. + 0.118/2.9 yr in group II; P less than 0.005). Although bone histomorphometric analyses disclosed overall improvement in both groups, only group II had significant increases in the mineral apposition rate [0.5 +/- 0.2 (+/- SE) to 1.4 +/- 0.2 micron/day; P less than 0.05] and the adjusted apposition rate (0.2 +/- 0.1 to 0.7 +/- 0.1 micron/day; P = 0.04). The vertebral fracture rate significantly declined in both groups, but more so in group II. Excluding the first year of treatment, the fracture rate during treatment in group II of 0.03/patient yr was significantly lower than that of 0.28/patient yr in group I (P less than 0.05). The treatment was well tolerated in both groups; only 16% of patients had either gastrointestinal or rheumatic complications. We conclude that intermittent sodium fluoride treatment without 1,25-(OH)2D provides safe and effective treatment of osteoporosis, marked by formation of new adequately mineralized bone, a rise in vertebral bone mass, and reduced frequency of vertebral fractures. The addition of 1,25-(OH)2D treatment before initiation of each fluoride phase yielded a less favorable response.

Correction of hypocitraturia and prevention of stone formation by combined thiazide and potassium citrate therapy in thiazide-unresponsive hypercalciuric nephrolithiasis.

Thirteen patients with hypercalciuric calcium nephrolithiasis continued to form calcium stones when treated with thiazide (4.69 +/- 6.62 [mean +/- SD] stones per patient-year to 5.12 +/- 10.87 stones per patient-year), despite adequate hypocalciuric response (a reduction in urinary calcium levels from 303 +/- 119 mg per day to 193 +/- 88 mg per day, p less than 0.01). Because they had hypocitraturia (250 +/- 86 mg per day versus 643 +/- 236 mg per day in normal subjects, p less than 0.001), potassium citrate (10 to 20 meq three times per day) was added to the ongoing treatment program. During combined treatment with thiazide and potassium citrate, urinary pH significantly rose, and normal levels of urinary citrate were restored. Ten patients stopped forming new stones and all 13 had reduced stone formation rate. Thus, potassium citrate supplementation should be considered in patients requiring thiazide therapy for the control of hypercalciuric nephrolithiasis, especially if they have concurrent hypocitraturia or if it develops during thiazide therapy.