Clinical Interventions in Aging (Nov 2018)

Levels of serum sclerostin, FGF-23, and intact parathyroid hormone in postmenopausal women treated with calcitriol

  • Cheng Q,
  • Wu X,
  • Du Y,
  • Hong W,
  • Tang W,
  • Li H,
  • Chen M,
  • Zheng S

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 13
pp. 2367 – 2374

Abstract

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Qun Cheng,1–3 Xiaoxing Wu,1,2 Yanping Du,1–3 Wei Hong,1–3 Wenjing Tang,1–3 Huilin Li,1–3 Minmin Chen,1–3 Songbai Zheng3 1Department of Osteoporosis and Bone Disease, Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China; 2Research Section of Geriatric Metabolic Bone Disease, Shanghai Geriatric Institute, Shanghai, China; 3National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of calcitriol on serum concentrations of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), sclerostin, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), and handgrip strength in postmenopausal women with low bone mass.Methods: A randomized, double-blind controlled trial was carried out among 141 postmenopausal women with low bone mass. Participants were randomized into two groups: 75 participants received calcitriol 0.5 μg/day and 66 participants received a placebo for 12 weeks.Results: After 12-week calcitriol treatment, significant decreases in serum intact PTH (P=0.035) and sclerostin (P=0.039), as well as significant increases in serum creatinine (P=0.027), uric acid (P=0.032), 24-hour urinary calcium (P=0.0026), and left handgrip strength (P=0.03), were observed, compared to placebo group. Level of serum sclerostin was weakly but significantly positively correlated with serum PTH (r=0.277; P=0.01) and negatively correlated with 24-hour urinary calcium (r=−0.221; P=0.04) and left handgrip strength (r=−0.338; P=0.03) after calcitriol treatment. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that decrease in serum sclerostin was associated with decrease in PTH serum level after calcitriol treatment (OR, 7.90; 95% CI, 2.28–27.42; P=0.002). However, no significant change in FGF-23 level was observed after calcitriol treatment.Conclusion: Calcitriol treatment yields a considerable decrease in serum sclerostin and significant increase of handgrip strength, and the change in serum sclerostin is regulated by serum PTH and by muscle strength. Keywords: calcitriol, FGF-23, fibroblast growth factor 23, handgrip, intact PTH, sclerostin 

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