Affiliations: Orthopedic and Traumatic Centre, Careggi Hospital,
Firenze, Italy | Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology,
University of Firenze, Italy | Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of
Firenze, Italy | Present address: Misericordia e Dolce Hospital, Prato,
Italy
Note: [] Correspondence: Prof. Marco Ruggiero, Istituto di Patologia
Generale, Viale Morgagni 50, 50134 Firenze, Italy, Tel.: +39 055 411131, Fax:
+39 055 416908, E-mail: ak.47@pratonext.it
Abstract: In an ethnically homogeneous population of women living in Tuscany,
Italy, the relationships between age, body weight, bone mineral density and the
vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism were studied, with the objective of
recognizing patients at risk for osteoporosis. In 275 women bone
mineral density was measured by Dual Energy X-rays Absorptiometry
(DEXA). In 50 of them the individual genetic pattern for VDR was
evaluated by DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification of the VDR gene, and
digestion with the restriction enzyme BsmI. Age and bone mineral density were
inversely related (R2 = 0.298). Body weight was associated
with bone mineral density (R2 = 0.059), but not with
age. In osteoporotic women, mean (± SD) body weight was
59.9 ± 6.5 Kg, lower than that recorded in non
osteoporotic women (64.2 ± 9.4 Kg), even though not
significantly different (p = 0.18). No association was
found between VDR gene polymorphism, bone density or body
weight. The performance of anthropometric and genetic components
appear to be poor, and, at least for the time being, bone mineral density
measurement by means of MOC-DEXA represents the optimal method to detect women
at risk for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Keywords: osteoporosis, vitamin D receptor, vitamin D receptor gene, bone density, body weight
