Results may not be generalisable

doi:10.1136/bmj.39493.476667.1F

BMJ 2008;336:403 (23 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39493.476667.1F

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Calcium supplementation

Results may not be generalisable

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Bolland et al showed an increased risk of vascular events, particularlymyocardial infarction, in healthy postmenopausal women receivingcalcium supplements.¹ ² We recently completed a similar studywith a primary skeletal end point.³ ⁴ We queried our databaseabout the principal adverse events reported by Bolland et al.

We followed up 1179 women for four years, similar to the 1471women followed up by Bolland et al. The calcium supplement dosagewas 1400-1500 mg/day, nearly 50% higher than in Bolland et al,and principally with the same product. We recorded adverse eventsat six monthly intervals, verified them with the participant’spersonal physician, and entered in the database using the correspondingICD-9 code.

Our study had three treatment arms: a double placebo, calciumplus vitamin D, and calcium and a vitamin D placebo. The totalnumber treated with calcium (with or without additional vitaminD) was 892, and the person years of . . . [Full text of this article]

Joan M Lappe, professor of nursing and medicine, Robert P Heaney, John A Creighton university professor, professor of medicine

¹ Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA

jmlappe@creighton.edu

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