Bone response to termination of oestrogen treatment.
Forty-three oophorectomised patients were reviewed 8 years after their initial attendance at a research clinic investigating the aetiology and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Fifteen patients who had been treated with an oestrogen did not lose a significant amount of bone during the 8 years of therapy. Patients in the placebo-treated control group initially had bone loss of 2.6% per annum, which later fell to an average of 0.75% per annum. Fourteen patients who had been treated with oestrogen for the first 4 years lost no bone, but on withdrawal of oestrogen their bone mineral content fell over the next 4 years at an average rate of 2.5% per annum. 8 years after their initial attendance there was no significant difference between this group and patients who had received placebo for the full 8 years. The result of this study indicates that long-term prevention of bone loss by oestrogens has important medical, social, economic implications.
D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects*; D002369:Castration; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008656:Mestranol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010919:Placebos; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors
D010919:Placebos; D008656:Mestranol