No association between the vitamin D pathway gene polymorphisms and bone biomarkers response to calcium and low dose calcitriol supplementation in postmenopausal Chinese women: a one-year prospective study.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to explore the association between the vitamin D pathway gene variations and the bone biomarkers response to calcium and low dose calcitriol supplementation in postmenopausal Chinese women.

METHODS

A total of 110 healthy postmenopausal Chinese women (61.51 ± 6.93 years) were enrolled. The participants were supplemented with calcium (600 mg/d) and calcitriol (0.25 μg/d), for 1 year. Four biomarkers, serum levels of beta C-terminal cross-linked telopeptides of type I collagen (β-CTX), amino-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Multivariate regression models were established to explore the statistical association between the change rate of the four biomarkers and 15 key genes within the vitamin D metabolic pathway.

RESULTS

This exclusion process left 98 participants for analysis. Serum levels of P1NP, β-CTX and PTH were significantly decreased at the 12-month follow-up (all p < 0.05). Serum 25(OH)D level had no significant change (p > 0.05). No association was found between the vitamin D pathway gene polymorphisms and bone biomarkers response to calcium and low dose calcitriol supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic background of postmenopausal Chinese women might not influence supplemental response of the biomarkers to calcium and low dose calcitriol.