RESUMEN
Introduction: Treatment of calcium (Ca) and vitamin D (VD) deficiency (VDD) is crucial for health, especially in bone conditions, such as low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis. Despite updates in clinical guideline recommendations, no studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of administering 2000 IU of cholecalciferol combined with calcium. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate VD levels following treatment with Ca 600 mg/ cholecalciferol 2000 IU in real-life clinical practice. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, observational study included 302 adult patients receiving Ca 600 mg/D3 2000 IU orodispersible tablets, daily for ≥24 weeks. The primary outcome was 25-hydroxivitamin D [25(OH)D] serum levels following treatment. Key secondary outcomes included changes in serum 25(OH)D levels and other bone metabolism (BM) parameters, safety and tolerability. The protocol was approved by a Research Ethics Committee. Results: 285 patients were evaluated (mean age [SD]: 67.4 [12.6] years old; 88.4 % women; basal serum 25(OH)D: 20.0 [8.6] ng/mL); 80.7 % reported previous history of osteoporosis/low BMD (osteopenia) and 37.2 % had received other Ca/VD prior to start study treatment. Median treatment duration was 38.5 weeks [range 24.0-82.4]. Overall, 94.4 % of patients increased serum 25(OH)D following treatment to a mean of 36.3 [11.8] ng/mL (p < 0.001 vs. baseline). Patients with basal VDD, significantly increased serum 25(OH)D to a mean over 30 ng/mL; no significant change found in repleted patients (basal 25(OH)D level ≥ 30 ng/mL). PTH was significantly reduced after treatment, with no clinically relevant effect on serum Ca or phosphate. Three non-serious treatment-emergent adverse events were reported. A post-hoc analysis on osteoporotic patients revealed virtually identical results in this population. Conclusion: Treatment with Ca 600 mg/cholecalciferol 2000 IU for at least 24 weeks is effective and safe, especially in osteoporosis. Patients with VDD significantly increase plasma 25(OH)D to optimal range for bone health, with no clinically relevant changes on other bone metabolism parameters other than reducing secondary hyperparathyroidism. The magnitude of 25(OH)D increase directly correlates with the severity of VDD, with no effect in basally repleted patients.
RESUMEN
Gout and calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition disease (CPPD) are common forms of inflammatory arthritis whose prevalence has increased in recent years. Although the identification of monosodium urate crystals (MSU) and calcium pyrophosphate crystals (CPP) in synovial fluid (SF) by polarized light microscopy are the gold standard for diagnosing these diseases, SF analysis is not always available. An early diagnosis and specific treatment, especially in gout, allows avoiding irreversible structural damage, comorbidities, and a severe impact on the quality of life of patients. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) is a noninvasive tool that allows detecting aggregates of microcrystals at multiple anatomical sites and helps to establish a specific diagnosis. The objective of this review is to evaluate the applications of US in the diagnosis and clinical management of the main microcrystalline arthropathies. The US has helped improve our understanding of the natural history of the disease, due to its ability to visualize not only soft tissue inflammation and structural damage, but also the characteristics of MSU and CPP crystal deposition. The anatomical sites of crystal deposition are also a key factor for differential diagnosis in different microcrystalline diseases. The US allows establishing an early diagnosis, especially in asymptomatic hyperuricemia, to discriminate with other inflammatory diseases, to assess the extent of microcrystalline deposition and their sensitivity to change after treatment. Given its increasing availability in clinical practice and strong evidence, US is a bedside imaging technique helping clinicians to improve diagnosis and therapy monitoring in their daily practice.