Calcium absorption in normal and osteoporotic postmenopausal women.

Hourly fractional absorption of radiocalcium (alpha), serum calcitriol, and a number of other variables were measured in 152 normal and 148 osteoporotic postmenopausal women. Alpha, body weight, and serum albumin were all significantly lower in the osteoporotic than in the normal women, and plasma alkaline phosphatase, fasting urinary calcium, sodium, and hydroxyproline were all significantly higher in the osteoporotic than in the normal group. The most significant determinant of alpha in each group was the serum calcitriol concentration, but calcium absorption relative to serum calcitriol was significantly lower in the osteoporotic than in the normal women. The serum calcitriol level was slightly but not significantly lower in the osteoporotic than in the normal group and accounted for only 20% of the difference in alpha between them. The implied "resistance" to calcitriol in the osteoporotic group was significantly related to serum albumin and body weight but independent of age. Urinary hydroxyproline was an inverse function of alpha and a positive function of fasting urinary calcium in the osteoporotic group.