Evaluation of vitamin D concentration in a population of young, healthy women - the effects of vitamin D supplementation.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of the study was an evaluation of serum vitamin D concentrations in healthy young women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 106 healthy women, aged 20-30 years, were included in the study. Monthly evaluation - for three months - of the effects of calcium (500 mg) and vitamin D (1500 IU) administration in women with baseline values of vitamin D < 20 ng/mL (Group 1) plus the effects of an 800 IU/d dose in women with the baseline value of D > 20 ng/mL (Group 2). Additionally, calcium and PTH concentrations were assessed at the study onset and after a three-month supplementation. Only 67 women adhered to the prescribed therapeutic regime during the three months of observation. RESULTS: The mean vitamin D concentration in the entire study group was 16.56 ng/mL, being 12.6 ng/mL in Group 1 and 25.22 ng/mL in Group 2. In the course of vitamin D administration, its concentration increased statistically significantly, both in the entire group and in the subgroups, at all time points compared with the study onset. Moreover, its concentration in the whole population and in Group 1 was significantly higher in each of the time points not only in relation to the baseline, but also in comparison with the results of the previous measurements (after 1 and 2 months of supplementation). In Group 2, vitamin D levels also increased systematically throughout the whole study period, and after 3 months its concentration was significantly higher than after 1 and 2 months. Although there were no differences in calcium concentration after those three months, a statistically significant drop of PTH (p < 0.05) was recorded in the entire population and in Group 1. CONCLUSIONS: A moderate deficiency of vitamin D was observed in the studied population of young women. A supplementation with calcium plus vitamin D brought about an increase of vitamin D concentration as early as in the first month of administration. The optimal concentration of > 30 ng/mL was achieved in Group 1 after three months of vitamin D administration in 1500 IU/d dose.

The role of counselling and other factors in compliance of postmenopausal osteoporotic patients to alendronate 70 therapy.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to assess the role of patient counselling, nurse assistance and effects of biochemical examinations in adherence of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to alendronate 70 administration over 12 months of therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Compliance and persistence to alendronate 70 therapy were assessed in a prospective study of 123 postmenopausal women, followed up for one year. The patients were divided into 4 groups (controls, counselled group, biochemical group and nurse assisted group) with monitoring every 6 months; in the nurse assisted group, additional phone contacts were made after 3 and 9 months of treatment. After 12 months, compliance and persistence were analysed. The medication possession ratio (MPR) was regarded as optimal when its value exceeded 80%. RESULTS: The compliance to alendronate 70 therapy was 54.03% in the control group and the mean persistence with medication was 197 days. The MPR above 80% was observed in 37.5%, and, after 1 year, 43.75% of patients were found persistent with the therapy. In the remaining groups, both compliance and persistence were higher but not statistically significantly, compared to the control group. Neither patient's age, education, diet, nor physical activity influenced the compliance with prescribed therapy. The most common reason to discontinue therapy was either its side effects or smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results suggest that better adherence with medical recommendations is observed in patients who receive additional attention, e.g. counselling, biochemical tests or nursing care. The critical elements for therapy discontinuation were side effects and smoking.