Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 72, 703-710, Copyright © 1991 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone status in young white and black women: association with racial differences in bone mass

DE Meier, MM Luckey, S Wallenstein, TL Clemens, ES Orwoll and CI Waslien
Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York 10029.

The etiology of the racial disparity in bone mass and fracture rate is unknown. Since the PTH-vitamin D endocrine system is a major regulator of calcium metabolism and bone turnover, this cross-sectional study examined the relationship of radial and lumbar bone density to vitamin D metabolite and PTH concentrations and to calcium intake and excretion in 67 white and 70 black highly comparable, healthy, premenopausal women. Bone density at both radial and lumbar sites was higher in blacks than in whites. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was slightly but not statistically significantly (P = 0.08), lower in blacks than in whites, but there were no racial differences in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, PTH, or renal tubular maximum for reabsorption of phosphate. The mean 25- hydroxyvitamin D concentration in blacks was well within the normal range and was not associated with evidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism. There were no correlations of bone density to vitamin D or PTH concentrations. Although there were no racial differences in dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D or in sodium excretion, 24-h urinary calcium excretion was significantly lower in blacks than in whites, and calcium excretion was inversely associated with radial bone density. In contrast to previous reports, in healthy, normal weight, premenopausal black women there is no evidence of vitamin D deficiency or secondary hyperparathyroidism, suggesting that factors other than the vitamin D-PTH axis are responsible for racial differences in bone mass.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. N. Taylor and G. C. Curhan Differences in 24-Hour Urine Composition between Black and White Women J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., February 1, 2007; 18(2): 654 - 659. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. K Marwaha, N. Tandon, D. R. H. Reddy, R. Aggarwal, R. Singh, R. C Sawhney, B. Saluja, M A. Ganie, and S. Singh Vitamin D and bone mineral density status of healthy schoolchildren in northern India Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, August 1, 2005; 82(2): 477 - 482. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Dawson-Hughes Racial/ethnic considerations in making recommendations for vitamin D for adult and elderly men and women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2004; 80(6): 1763S - 1766S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Finkelstein, M.-L. T. Lee, M. Sowers, B. Ettinger, R. M. Neer, J. L. Kelsey, J. A. Cauley, M.-H. Huang, and G. A. Greendale Ethnic Variation in Bone Density in Premenopausal and Early Perimenopausal Women: Effects of Anthropometric and Lifestyle Factors J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2002; 87(7): 3057 - 3067. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Lips Vitamin D Deficiency and Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in the Elderly: Consequences for Bone Loss and Fractures and Therapeutic Implications Endocr. Rev., August 1, 2001; 22(4): 477 - 501. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. R. Singer, T. L. Clemens, R. A. Eusebio, and P. J. Bekker Risedronate, a Highly Effective Oral Agent in the Treatment of Patients with Severe Paget's Disease J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 1998; 83(6): 1906 - 1910. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				V. Gilsanz, D. L. Skaggs, A. Kovanlikaya, J. Sayre, M. L. Loro, F. Kaufman, and S. G. Korenman Differential Effect of Race on the Axial and Appendicular Skeletons of Children J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 1998; 83(5): 1420 - 1427. [Abstract] [Full Text]