Micronutrients Levels and Their Association with Osteoporosis and Depression in Elderly Hypertensive Patients: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND

Older hypertensive patients frequently presented with osteoporosis and depressive symptoms. Micronutrient imbalance may contribute to this overlap, yet the combined biochemical profile of this population remains underexplored.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether serum vitamin D, calcium, and zinc levels differ between elderly hypertensive patients with osteoporosis and depressive symptoms and matched hypertensive controls.

METHODS

A case control study was conducted among one hundred hypertensive adults aged sixty years or older. Clinical assessments and fasting laboratory tests were performed. Independent t tests, correlation coefficients, and regression models were applied.

RESULTS

Cases showed significantly lower calcium (9.24 ± 0.50 vs 9.61 ± 0.36 mg/dL), vitamin D (33.82 ± 16.63 vs 46.24 ± 16.00 ng/mL), and zinc levels (0.0108 ± 0.0015 vs 0.0144 ± 0.0043 mg/L) than controls, with all comparisons reaching p < 0.001. Strong negative correlations were observed between micronutrients and lipid markers, including calcium with cholesterol (r = -0.312) and zinc with triglycerides (r = -0.301). In reduced regression models, lower calcium and zinc independently predicted case status.

CONCLUSION

Elderly hypertensive patients with osteoporosis and depressive symptoms exhibit marked and clinically relevant reductions in calcium, vitamin D, and zinc. These findings identify key biochemical vulnerabilities that may warrant targeted nutritional assessment and intervention.