IU Daily (iu + daily)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Heterogeneity in Serum 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Response to Cholecalciferol in Elderly Women with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism and Vitamin D Deficiency

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 8 2010
Andrea Giusti MD
OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects on parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) of two dosing regimens of cholecalciferol in women with secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPTH) and hypovitaminosis D and to investigate variables affecting 25(OH)D response to cholecalciferol. DESIGN: Randomized-controlled trial with 6-month follow-up. SETTING: Two osteoporosis centers in northern Italy. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty community-dwelling women aged 65 and older with sHPTH and hypovitaminosis D, creatinine clearance greater than 65 mL/min and without diseases or drugs known to influence bone and vitamin D metabolism. INTERVENTION: Cholecalciferol 300,000 IU every 3 months, once at baseline and once at 3 months (intermittent D3 group) or cholecalciferol 1,000 IU/day (daily D3 group). MEASUREMENTS: Serum PTH, 25(OH)D, calcium, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, ,-C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, phosphate, 24-hour urinary calcium excretion. RESULTS: The two groups had similar baseline characteristics. All participants had vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D<20 ng/mL)], and 36 subjects (60%) had severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL), with no difference between the groups (severe deficiency: intermittent D3 group, n=18; daily D3 group, n=18). After 3 and 6 months, both groups had a significant increase in 25(OH)D and a reduction in PTH. Mean absolute increase±standard deviation of 25(OH)D at 6 months was higher in the intermittent D3 group (22.7±11.8 ng/mL) than in the daily D3 group (13.7±6.7 ng/mL, P<.001), with a higher proportion of participants in the intermittent D3 group reaching desirable serum concentration of 25(OH)D , 30 ng/mL (55% in the intermittent D3 group vs 20% in the daily D3 group, P<.001). Mean percentage decrease of PTH in the two groups was comparable, and at 6 months, a similar proportion of participants reached normal PTH values. 25(OH)D response to cholecalciferol showed a wide variability. In a logistic regression analysis, body mass index and type of treatment appeared to be significantly associated with normalization of 25(OH)D values. CONCLUSION: Cholecalciferol 300,000 IU every 3 months was more effective than 1,000 IU daily in correcting vitamin D deficiency, although the two groups achieved similar effects on PTH at 6 months. Only 55% of the higher-dose intermittent group reached desirable concentrations of 25(OH)D, suggesting that yet-higher doses will be required for adequate vitamin D repletion. [source]


Effect of combined maternal and infant vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D status of exclusively breastfed infants

MATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION, Issue 1 2009
Hussein F. Saadi
Abstract Severe vitamin D deficiency in mothers and their breastfed infants is a significant health problem in the Middle East. Supplementation of the breastfed infant alone with the recommended dose of vitamin D may be insufficient in high-risk population. We investigated the effect of combined maternal and infant vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D status of the breastfed infant. We examined also the effect of supplementation on vitamin D antirachitic activity of breast milk in a subset of mothers. Healthy breastfeeding mothers (n = 90) were randomly assigned to 2000 IU daily (group 1) or 60 000 IU monthly (group 2) of vitamin D2, and all their infants (n = 92) received 400 IU daily of vitamin D2 for 3 months. Most infants had vitamin D deficiency , 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] , 37.5 nmol L,1, at study entry. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations at 3 months increased significantly from baseline in infants of mothers in group 1 (13.9 ± 8.6 vs. 49.6 ± 18.5 nmol L,1, P < 0.0001) and group 2 (13.7 ± 12.1 vs. 44.6 ± 15.0 nmol L,1, P < 0.0001). Maternal and infant serum 25(OH)D concentrations correlated positively at baseline (r = 0.36, P = 0.01) and 3 months (r = 0.46, P = 0.002). Milk antirachitic activity increased from undetectable (<20 IU L,1) to a median of 50.9 IU L,1. In conclusion, combined maternal and infant vitamin D supplementation was associated with a threefold increase in infants' serum 25(OH)D concentrations and a 64% reduction in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency without causing hypervitaminosis D. [source]


Tapetoretinal degenerations: Experiences, experiments and expectations

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 3 2000
Berndt Ehinger
ABSTRACT. Tapetoretinal degenerations are a common cause for vision problems, but have until recently not been amenable to rational treatment. With rapidly increasing insights into basic neurobiology and pathobiology this has now begun to change. From having been a relatively small group of largely unknown yet fairly prevalent disorders, they are rapidly forming a large set of well defined diseases, and it is easy to predict that our knowledge about them will continue to increase for many years to come. Vitamin A (15 ,000 IU daily) is currently the only rational treatment available. However, in experimental animals, therapy strategies are now actively being developed along several different lines. Apoptotic photoreceptor cell death can be delayed with different drugs, and at least one of them, diltiazem, is approved for human use in cardiovascular diseases. It remains to be seen if it has any clinically significant effect in human tapetoretinal degenerations. Other strategies aim at counteracting the production of harmful protein variants, acting either on DNA or mRNA levels. Transgenes can also be used to induce the production of important but missing metabolic components. Finally, cells or retina sheets can be transplanted, either to replace failing cells or as a source for missing trophic factors. Neither of these strategies has yet been transferred to humans, but trials are under way. With the high increase in the flow of new information on tapetoretinal disorders, much more precise diagnoses and much improved treatments are soon to be expected, augmenting considerably the possibilities for ophthalmologists to help patients with such diseases. It is not likely that there will be a single treatment for all the many varieties. Instead, we are most likely going to see pharmacological treatments for some of them, DNA transfers for some, and transplantations for others. [source]


Assessment of quality of life in adults receiving long-term growth hormone replacement compared to control subjects

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
I. A. Malik
Summary objective There are few studies of quality of life (QOL) in adults with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) compared to matched control populations without GHD. These have shown impairments in a variety of QOL measures, which improve but do not normalize after short-term replacement with GH. There is little information on QOL in long-term treated GHD patients compared with controls without GHD. patients and methods A total of 120 adults with GHD who had received GH replacement for at least 1 year were identified from the neuroendocrine clinic. Patients were asked to complete eight QOL questionnaires and an Energy Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results were compared with 83 control subjects without GHD from the local population who agreed to complete seven of the QOL questionnaires (excluding Disease Impact scale) and the energy VAS. The eight questionnaires were a combination of generic and disease-specific questionnaires used to assess health related QOL, namely: Short Form-36 (SF-36), Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Disease Impact, Life Fulfilment and Satisfaction scales, Mental Fatigue Questionnaire (MFQ) and Self Esteem scale, Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) scale and QOL-AGHDA (assessment of GHD in adults). results Eighty-nine patients returned questionnaires and 85 (71%) had complete data for analysis. The mean (SD) duration of GH replacement was 36·0 ± 26·4 (range 13,159) months. Mean age was 43·9 ± 15·8 years (37 males) in treated GHD patients compared to a mean age 41·7 ± 10·5 years (32 males) in the controls. Mean IGF-1 levels were 22·5 ± 13·6 nmol/l in the GHD patients and the mean dose of GH replacement was 1·2 ± 0·4 IU daily. Analysis of the QOL questionnaires from the GH treated patients revealed highly significant impairments in all measures (most P , 0·0001, except life fulfilment-material, P = 0·33) compared to the control population. conclusions This large population with treated GH deficiency have significant impairments in multiple aspects of QOL despite replacement with GH and other pituitary hormones for at least 1 year (mean 3 years). It is likely therefore that other factors in addition to GH deficiency must influence QOL in these patients. Further strategies to improve QOL in these individuals should therefore be considered, e.g. psychological support and treatments and physical treatments (such as exercise programmes). [source]