Effectiveness and Cost of Using Facebook Recruitment to Elicit Canadian Women's Perspectives on Bone Health and Osteoporosis: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Background: Surveys can help health researchers better understand the public's perspectives and needs regarding prevalent conditions such as osteoporosis, which affects more than two-thirds of postmenopausal women. However, recruitment of large cohorts for survey research can be time-consuming and expensive. With 2.

Women's perspectives regarding osteoporosis, fracture risk, and pharmacologic treatment: a cross-sectional study.

Unlabelled: We assessed women's perspectives regarding early preventative therapy for osteoporosis. More than a third of early menopausal women were concerned about bone loss and future fractures, and approximately half were willing to take an intravenous or oral bisphosphonate around the time of menopause to preserve bone health.

Purpose: Bisphosphonate medications can prevent the substantial bone loss that occurs during early menopause, but little is known about whether women would accept bisphosphonate treatment at this time in their life, when imminent fracture risk is low.

Measurements of the Vitamin D Metabolome in the Calgary Vitamin D Study: Relationship of Vitamin D Metabolites to Bone Loss.

In a 36-month randomized controlled trial examining the effect of high-dose vitamin D on radial and tibial total bone mineral density (TtBMD), measured by high-resolution peripheral quantitative tomography (HR-pQCT), participants (311 healthy males and females aged 55-70 years with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry T-scores > -2.5 without vitamin D deficiency) were randomized to receive 400 IU (N = 109), 4000 IU (N = 100), or 10,000 IU (N = 102) daily. Participants had HR-pQCT radius and tibia scans and blood sampling at baseline, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months.

Bisphosphonates Preserve Bone Mineral Density and Suppress Bone Turnover Markers in Early Menopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Most women do not qualify for pharmacologic osteoporosis treatment until more than a decade after menopause, by which time they will have lost up to 30% of their bone mass and may have already sustained fractures. Short or intermittent courses of bisphosphonate therapy, initiated around the time of menopause, might prevent excessive bone loss and lower long-term fracture risk. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the effects of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates on fracture incidence, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone turnover markers in early menopausal women (ie, perimenopausal or <5 years postmenopausal) over ≥12 months.

Response to High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation Is Specific to Imaging Modality and Skeletal Site.

High-dose vitamin D supplementation (4000 or 10,000 IU/d) in vitamin D-sufficient individuals results in a dose-dependent decrease in radius and tibia total bone mineral density (Tt.BMD) compared with 400 IU/d. This exploratory analysis examined whether the response to high-dose vitamin D supplementation depends on imaging modality and skeletal site.

A retrospective review of the community medicine needs from osteoporosis services in Canada.

Background: Comprehensive, real-world osteoporosis care has many facets not explicitly addressed in practice guidelines. We sought to determine the areas of knowledge and practice needs in osteoporosis medicine for the purpose of developing an osteoporosis curriculum for specialist trainees and knowledge translation tools for primary care.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of referral questions received from primary care and specialists to an academic, multi-disciplinary tertiary osteoporosis and metabolic bone clinic.

Drug therapy for osteoporosis in older adults.

The goal of osteoporosis management is to prevent fractures. Several pharmacological agents are available to lower fracture risk, either by reducing bone resorption or by stimulating bone formation. Bisphosphonates are the most widely used anti-resorptives, reducing bone turnover markers to low premenopausal concentrations and reducing fracture rates (vertebral by 50-70%, non-vertebral by 20-30%, and hip by ~40%).

Effects of probiotics on bone mineral density and bone turnover: A systematic review.

Probiotic supplements have been shown to improve bone health in animal models, although it remains uncertain whether these beneficial effects extend to humans. We undertook a systematic review of the literature to determine the effects of probiotic interventions on skeletal outcomes in postmenopausal women. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from inception to October 2020 for controlled trials comparing the effects of probiotic-containing supplements with placebo on bone mineral density (BMD) or bone turnover markers.

Comparison of 2 fracture risk estimation processes in Alberta: a cross-sectional chart review.

Background: In Canada, decisions regarding osteoporosis pharmacotherapy are based on estimated 10-year risk of osteoporotic fracture. We aimed to determine how frequently 2 common approaches (Canadian Association of Radiologists and Osteoporosis Canada [CAROC] tool and Fracture Risk Assessment Tool [FRAX]) produced different estimates and to seek possible explanations for differences.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional chart review at a tertiary osteoporosis centre (Dr.

Group medical consultation for osteoporosis: a prospective pilot study of patient experience in Canadian tertiary care.

Background: Delivery of patient-centred care is limited by physician time. Group medical consultations may save physician time without compromising patient experience.

Aim: To assess patient experience and specialist physician time commitment in a group consultation for osteoporosis.

Autonomy begets adherence: decisions to start and persist with osteoporosis treatment after group medical consultation.

Unlabelled: Many individuals prescribed osteoporosis pharmacotherapy either do not start or do not persist with treatment. In this study, women who attended a group medical visit at an osteoporosis center which involved fracture risk assessment and focused on autonomous decision-making made treatment decisions with high confidence. Those who started pharmacotherapy were highly persistent.

Adverse Effects of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation on Volumetric Bone Density Are Greater in Females than Males.

Three years of high-dose vitamin D supplementation (400 IU, 4000 IU, 10,000 IU) in healthy vitamin D-sufficient individuals aged 55 to 70 years (serum 25(OH)D 30-125 nmol/L at baseline), resulted in a negative dose-response relationship for bone density and strength. This study examined whether response differed between males and females. A total of 311 participants (53% male) were randomized to 400 IU (male = 61, female = 48), 4000 IU (male = 51, female = 49), or 10,000 IU (male = 53, female = 49) daily vitamin D .

Benefits of Bisphosphonate Therapy: Beyond the Skeleton.

Purpose Of Review: Recent evidence from clinical trials and observational studies raises the possibility that bisphosphonate use might confer a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, resulting in a mortality benefit. This review summarizes clinical and preclinical studies examining the non-skeletal effects of bisphosphonates.

Recent Findings: Data from clinical trials are conflicting regarding whether or not bisphosphonates have beneficial effects on mortality, cardiovascular events, or cancer incidence.

Postural Balance Effects Associated with 400, 4000 or 10,000 IU Vitamin D Daily for Three Years: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Vitamin D supplementation is proposed as a fall prevention strategy, as it may improve neuromuscular function. We examined whether three years of vitamin D supplementation (400, 4000 or 10,000 IU daily) affects postural sway in older adults. Three hundred and seventy-three non-osteoporotic, vitamin D-sufficient, community-dwelling healthy adults, aged 55-70 years, were randomized to 400 (n = 124), 4000 (n = 125) or 10,000 (n = 124) IU daily vitamin D for three years.

Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Context: More than 3% of adults report vitamin D intakes of 4000 IU/day or more, but the safety of this practice is unknown.

Objective: The objective of this work is to establish whether vitamin D doses up to 10 000 IU/day are safe and well tolerated.

Design: The Calgary Vitamin D Study was a 3-year, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

At Odds About the Odds: Women's Choices to Accept Osteoporosis Medications Do Not Closely Agree with Physician-Set Treatment Thresholds.

Background: Osteoporosis guidelines recommend pharmacologic therapy based on 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture, which may fail to account for patient-specific experiences and values.

Objective: We aimed to determine whether patient decisions to initiate osteoporosis medication agree with guideline-recommended intervention thresholds.

Design And Participants: This prospective cohort study included women aged ≥ 45 with age-associated osteoporosis who attended a group osteoporosis self-management consultation at a tertiary osteoporosis center.

Effect of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation on Volumetric Bone Density and Bone Strength: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Few studies have assessed the effects of daily vitamin D doses at or above the tolerable upper intake level for 12 months or greater, yet 3% of US adults report vitamin D intakes of at least 4000 IU per day.

Objective: To assess the dose-dependent effect of vitamin D supplementation on volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) and strength.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Three-year, double-blind, randomized clinical trial conducted in a single center in Calgary, Canada, from August 2013 to December 2017, including 311 community-dwelling healthy adults without osteoporosis, aged 55 to 70 years, with baseline levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) of 30 to 125 nmol/L.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 levels decline following sleeve gastrectomy.

Objective: Levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) have been positively associated with measures of adiposity, cardiovascular disease and mortality. It is unclear whether the relationship of FGF23 with cardiovascular disease and mortality is confounded by obesity. We aimed to determine whether FGF23 concentrations decline following a reduction in adiposity after sleeve gastrectomy (SG).

Sexual Dysfunction and Sex Hormone Abnormalities in Patients With Cirrhosis: Review of Pathogenesis and Management.

Healthy sexual function is important to maintain a good quality of life but is frequently impaired in patients with cirrhosis. The degree of sexual dysfunction appears to be linked with the degree of hepatic dysfunction. In men, sexual dysfunction can be related to the hyperestrogenism of portal hypertension and/or to decreased testosterone resulting from testicular dysfunction.

Methods and procedures for: A randomized double-blind study investigating dose-dependent longitudinal effects of vitamin D supplementation on bone health.

The optimum dose of vitamin D and corresponding serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentration for bone health is still debated and some health practitioners are recommending doses well above the Canada/USA recommended Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). We designed a three-year randomized double-blind clinical trial investigating whether there are dose-dependent effects of vitamin D supplementation above the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) on bone health. The primary aims of this study are to assess, whether supplementation of vitamin D increases 1) volumetric bone mineral density measured by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT); 2) bone strength assessed by finite element analysis, and 3) areal bone mineral density by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).