Effect of calcium and cholecalciferol treatment for three years on hip fractures in elderly women

We recently showed that daily supplementation with 1.2 g calcium and 800 IU cholecalciferol over 18 months substantially decreased the risk of hip fractures and other non-vertebral fractures in elderly women living in nursing homes.1 We report the results of a further 18 months of treatment. A total of 3270 mobile elderly women (mean age 84 (SD 6) years) living in 180 nursing homes were enrolled in the study. Half the women received 1.2 g calcium daily in the form of tricalcium phosphate, together with 800 IU (20 μg) cholecalciferol; the other half received a double placebo. All subjects were followed up every six months; biochemical variables were measured at baseline and every year in a subgroup of 52 women. Hip fractures and all non-vertebral fractures were separately analysed using a log …