The relationship between metabolic bone diseases and fingernail calcium levels in the elderly

Purpose: Metabolic bone disorders are very common in the elderly population. As fingernail clippings are easily available for analysis, this makes them an interesting screening instrument for stored mineral components in the body. Measurements of calcium concentrations in fingernail clippings are thought to give some insight into their value as an alternative screening test for metabolic bone disorders and our aim was to determine whether fingernail calcium concentrations could be used for this purpose. Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out in a Geriatric medicine outpatient clinic of a university hospital. A total of 159 patients with a mean age of 72.1 +/- 5.8 years were involved. Fingernail calcium levels were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in nail calcium levels between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic patients and similarly between vitamin D deficient and normal patients. The correlation between nail calcium concentrations and femur neck t-score and serum 25-OH vitamin D levels was very weak and non-significant. Conclusion: We found no change in nail calcium concentrations in osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency, and therefore nail calcium measurements do not seem to be a good alternative screening instrument for metabolic bone disorders in the elderly. (c) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS and European Union Geriatric Medicine Society. All rights reserved.