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Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in adult Austrians is an imminent risk for development of secondary hyperparathyroidism with advancing age, and requires timely correction of nutritional deficits.

Genotyping is an economic, quick and convenient method for diagnosing lactose malabsorption, with results comparable to existing tests. Sufficient calcium consumption may be relevant to body growth, as milk-drinkers were taller. Negative calcium bone balance may be prevented when provision is made for adequate calcium intake.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate via the vitamin D status whether patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) tend to develop vitamin D deficiency that in turn influences their clinical symptoms. DESIGN: Cross-sectional.SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS:Three hundred twenty-seven patients were evaluated; subjects with secondary causes of bone disease or bone active medication were excluded. One hundred sixty-one patients with either PAD stage II (n = 84) or stage IV (n = 77) were enrolled and compared to 45 age-and sexmatched healthy controls. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:All patients underwent determinations of serum chemistry, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D 3 ) intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin and were further stratified according to an individual restriction score into 3 groups: mildly, moderately, or severely restricted in daily life due to the underlying disease. Patients with PAD IV showed significantly lower vitamin D 3 (P = .0001), and calcium (P = .0001) values and significantly higher iPTH (P = .0001), osteocalcin (P = .0001) and ALP (P = .02) levels as compared to patients with PAD II. Patients considering themselves as severely restricted due to the underlying disease showed lower vitamin D 3 and higher iPTH levels than those who described only a moderate (vitamin D 3 : P < .001; iPTH: P < .01) or mild (vitamin D 3 : P < .001; iPTH: P < .001) restriction in daily life. P ain is the main clinical complaint of patients suffering from peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Intermittent claudication is typical for the disease, with pain in the calves and/or thighs during exercise that is relieved with rest, and/or pain caused by local ulcers. In addition to pain, patients frequently complain of muscle weakness with difficulty in rising from a sitting position or climbing stairs, along with paresthesia, arthralgia, fatigue, and deep bone pain.These symptoms are less typical for PAD than for osteomalacia and vitamin D deficiency, 1±8 which is commonly defined by decreased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D 3 ) levels below 9 ng/mL (22 nmol/L). 7±10There is evidence that even individuals with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels less than 20 ng/mL 7