title: Effects of oral therapy with calcium and vitamin D in primary osteoporosis.
abstract: Eighteen patients (17 women and 1 man) with primary osteoporosis were divided into two groups of 9 patients each. Group A received 2.0 to 2.5 g of calcium and 400 units of vitamin D per day orally and was studied before and after short-term (3 to 4 months) treatment; group B received 1.5 to 2.0 g of calcium per day and 50,000 units of vitamin D twice weekly and was studied before, after short-term, and after long-term (1 year) treatment. In group A there was a decrease (P is less than 0.01) in bone-resorbing surfaces (microradiography of bone biopsy samples) after short-term treatment. In group B there was a decrease (P is less than 0.01) in bone-forming and bone-resorbing surfaces after both short-tern and long-term treatment. Fasting-state (morning) serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) concentrations decreased after short-term treatment (combined data of groups A and B) and after long-term treatment (group B). We conclude that the principal effect of the oral calcium and vitamin D therapy in primary osteoporosis is to decrease bone turnover. The most probable mechanism for this effect on bone is a partial inhibition of PTH secretion.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001862:Bone Resorption; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D010710:Phosphates; D014807:Vitamin D; D003404:Creatinine; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium