Clinical Usefulness of Alendronate for Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal women

Yeo, Min Goo; Song, Seung Hoon; Lee, Jae Gwan; Hur, Joon Yong; Seo, Ho Suk; Park, Yong Gyun; Jo, Soo Yong

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of alendronate for prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis this study was taken. METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical trial examined the effects of oral alendronate and HRT(conjugated estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate), in combination and seperately, on BMD, biochemical markers of bone turnover in 79 women with low bone mass. Treatment included alendronate(10mg daily) plus HRT(group I, n=38), or HRT(group II, n=41) for 6 months. Bone density measurements were performed at months 0 and 6 at the lumbar spine. Biochemical markers of bone turnover were also measured every three months. RESULTS: Serum Osteocalcin decreased by 19.2% in group I and by 10.0% in group II at 3 months(p<0.05), and by 30.9% in group I and by 19.8% in group II at 6 months(p<0.05). Urinary deoxypyridinoline showed decrease of 19.75%(I) vs. 10.4%(II) at 3 months, 30.1%(I) vs. 20.7%(II) at 6 months, the difference was significant. Percent change of BMD measurements from baseline at 6 months in group I was 6.2% and in group II 0.6% on the lumbar spine(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The treatment with alendronate is useful to postmenopausal women with osteoporosis by decreasing bone turnover markers, and by increasing the BMD.