Osteoarthrosis (OA) takes a leading place in the structure of diseases of locomotorium organs. Roentgenological symptoms of OA manifest themselves at more than 85% people older than 60 years and clinical ones are evident at 12 (1,2). Studies of this aspect of osteoarthrosis in Kazakhstan were not conducted.
The aim of the given research is study of the content of vitamin D at patients affected by osteoarthrosis.
Materials and Methods
Research was conducted at the arthrology department of Astana Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedy. Forty six patients were examined, their average age being 58,4 ±3,6 years. OA was diagnosed on the basis of unified criteria worked out at the Institute of Rheumatology RAMN. Roentgenological criteria according to Kellgren J. H. and Lawrence J. S. were used.
Patients were divided into 3 groups. The first group consisted of women with OA disease still having menstrual cycle (n=8). The second group was presented by women with OA disease in menopause (n=24). The third group consisted of men with OA disease at the age from 40 to 72 years (n=14). Control group consisted of practically healthy people (n=10). Vitamin D was defined by the method of immunofermental analyses. Research was conducted at the laboratory of clinical immunology according to instructions of the producing company.
Results and Discussion
As it is known, involutive changes in bones and joints seriously affect the course of OA and there is a direct correlation between the age of a patient and heaviness and prognosis of a disease. The total number of patients was 46, more than a hall of them being older than 60. According to assessment of functional defect of joints patients having II and III stages dominated.
Average value of vitamin D concentration in patients having menstrual cycle was 38,1 ± 5,8 nmol/l, it was 49% lower than in a control group (66,6 ±15,5 nmol/l; p<0,02). It was stated that 19 patients in postmenopause group had 35,01±7,5 nmol/l, which was lower than in a control group (p<0,001). In the third group 9 male (64%) showed reduction of vitamin D, average value of vitamin D concentration for men was 34,9±21,5 nmol/l which differed statistically from the control group (p>0,5). Deficit of D vitamin manifesting clearly for elderly people may be explained probably by insufficient exposure to sunshine and decreasing skin ability of synthesis of vitamin D (2,6). Anomalies of this kind are not compensated by the substances entering inside with the food, as dairy products do not contain sufficient quantity of vitamin D. Deficit of vitamin D accompanies and complicates the deficit of calcium which is also common for a large number of elderly patients. It is the evident, that a category of patients under observation does not reflect condition of all patients in a full degree, however it represents some kind of a "model" of a high risk group, exposed to not only osteoporosis but osteoarthrosis as well(3,4,5).
Thus, it was stated that the majority of examined patients with degenerate and dystrophic diseases of joints had deficit of vitamin D which speaks in favour of conducting substituting therapy, caused by vitamin D deficit.
The work is submitted to Scientific Conference "The Problems of International Integration of Educational Standards", England (London) - France (Paris), April 20-28, 2009. Came to the Editor´s Office on 14.01.2009.