Abstract
Forty seven women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and at least one but no more than four vertebral compression fractures received sequential and cyclical therapy with phosphorus and etidronate (p/etid). During the same 2-year period of observation, three other groups of patients received either sodium fluoride (n=12), estrogen replacement therapy (n=12), or vitamin D and calcium (Ca++) alone (n=15).
Axial bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by means of dual-photon absorptiometry. Lateral thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs were taken to assess fractures. Bone mineral density increased from baseline during p/etid therapy: Mean 15.7±1.6% (SD) (P<0.001). During the same time, the patients in the sodium fluoride group showed a comparable increase in their BMD from baseline: mean 15.7±1.1% (P<0.001). During the first year of therapy, patients in the estrogen replacement group had an increase in their BMD from baseline: mean: 4.6%±1.1% (P<0.05). No change in BMD was seen in the control group that received vitamin D and Ca++ alone.
No patient who received p/etid, sodium fluoride, or estrogen replacement therapy had any new vertebral compression fractures or height loss, whereas in the control group that received vitamin D and Ca++ alone 6 out of 15 had height loss and at least one new vertebral fracture (P<0.01).
p/etid therapy increases BMD in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis comparable to sodium fluoride but without side effects or toxicity and stabilizes vertebral compression fractures.
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Miller, P.D., Neal, B.J., McIntyre, D.O. et al. Effect of cyclical therapy with phosphorus and etidronate on axial bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. Osteoporosis Int 1, 171–176 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01625449
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01625449