The effect of cigarette smoking on the serum levels of calcium and 25 hydroxy vitamin D in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis

Abstract Objectives Deficiency of calcium and vitamin D is a common finding in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). However, the effect of cigarette smoking on the serum levels of calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] remains inconclusive. Methods The data of 432 inpatients with PMOP between January 2016 and October 2019 were collected from the hospital information system of the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. The associations between smoking habits and serum calcium and 25(OH)D levels were analyzed by multiple linear regression. The intensity and duration of smoking were also conducted in the analysis to detect the dose-dependent effect of cigarette smoking. Results Significant differences were found between smokers and never smokers regarding serum calcium and 25(OH)D levels. The multiple linear regression model showed significant negative associations of the daily number of cigarette smoking and the smoking durations with the serum calcium and 25(OH)D levels. Moreover, the effect of smoking on the decreased levels of serum calcium and 25(OH)D showed a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions Cigarette smoking was negatively associated with the serum calcium and 25(OH)D levels in patients with PMOP. Early detection of serum calcium and 25(OH)D may contribute to predicting fracture risk, and smoking cessation intervention is necessary for patients with POMP.