The Anti-osteoporosis Effects of Vitamin K in Postmenopausal Women

As a common systemically muscular-skeleton disorder of aging, osteoporosisis is characterized by the uninterrupted deconstruction in osseous microarchitecture. Osteoporosis can consequently lead to a significantly high risk of osteoporotic fractures, such as Osteoporotic Vertebral Compressive Fractures [OVCF] in the spine and osteoporotic femoral neck fractures in the hip joint, which can significantly increase the numbers of mortality and morbidity in elderly people, especially in postmenopausal women.

In addition, vitamin K has been demonstrated to play a key role in inhibiting osteoporotic fractures among postmenopausal women, but its long-term benefits, potential harms, and side effects of the combination between vitamin K and other anti-osteoporosis medicines, such as bisphosphonates or teriparatide still remain to be extensively studied. Therefore, the present study aimed to systematically reviewed previously published literature on the role of vitamin K in the treatment of osteoporosis. We currently, via multiple query strategies, searched the relevant literature in Cochrane and PubMed from January 2010 to December 2019.

Subsequently, we conducted the systematic review according to the standard guideline of Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA].

Finally, ten relevant studies met our current criteria for inclusion; subsequently, we followed the PRISMA guideline, then systematically reviewed each study by categorizing the data sources and analytical approaches in each study, while setting up variables and defining each study's outcomes.