Effects of vitamin D supplementation on bone density in healthy children: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation for improving bone mineral density in children and adolescents and if effects vary with factors such as vitamin D dose and vitamin D status.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline (1966 to present), Embase (1980 to present), CINAHL (1982 to present), AMED (1985 to present), and ISI Web of Science (1945 to present), last updated on 9 August 2009, and hand searching of conference abstracts from key journals.

Vitamin D supplementation for improving bone mineral density in children.

Background: Results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of vitamin D supplementation to improve bone density in children are inconsistent.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation for improving bone mineral density in children, whether any effect varies by sex, age or pubertal stage, the type or dose of vitamin D given or baseline vitamin D status, and if effects persist after cessation of supplementation.

Search Strategy: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL Issue 3, 2009), MEDLINE (1966 to present), EMBASE (1980 to present), CINAHL (1982 to present), AMED (1985 to present) and ISI Web of Science (1945 to present) on 9 August 2009, and we handsearched key journal conference abstracts.

Determinants of skeletal age deviation in a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Skeletal age deviation (SAD) is associated with bone mass and fracture risk in children, but factors determining this are unknown. The aim of this population-based cross-sectional study was to describe the factors associated with SAD.

Methods: A convenience sample of 640 male and female children aged 7-17 yr was studied.

Strontium ranelate--does it affect the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis?

This series of articles facilitated by the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group (CMSG) aims to place the findings of recent Cochrane musculoskeletal reviews in a context immediately relevant to general practitioners. This article considers whether the availability of strontium ranelate affects the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis.