Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with transdermal estrogen.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the tolerance and effectiveness of transdermal estrogen for women with established postmenopausal osteoporosis and vertebral fractures.


METHODS
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial lasting 1 year.


METHODS
Referral-based outpatient clinic.


METHODS
Seventy-five postmenopausal women, 47 to 75 years of age, with one or more vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis.


METHODS
Thirty-nine women received dermal patches delivering 0.1 mg of 17 beta-estradiol for days 1 to 21 and oral medroxyprogesterone acetate for days 11 to 21 of a 28-day cycle. Another 39 women received placebo.


METHODS
Bone turnover assessed by biochemical markers and iliac bone histomorphometry; bone loss assessed by serial measurement of bone density; and vertebral fracture rate.


RESULTS
Compared with the placebo group, the median annual percentage change in bone mineral density in the estrogen group reflected increased or steady-state bone mineral density at the lumbar spine (5.3 compared with 0.2; P = 0.007), femoral trochanter (7.6 compared with 2.1; P = 0.03), and midradius (1.0 compared with -2.6, P less than 0.001) but showed no significant difference at the femoral neck (2.6 compared with 1.4; P = 0.17). Estrogen treatment uniformly decreased bone turnover as assessed by several methods including serum osteocalcin concentration (median change, -0.35 compared with 0.02 nmol/L; P less than 0.001). Histomorphometric evaluation of iliac biopsy samples confirmed the effect of estrogen on bone formation rate per bone volume (median change, -12.9 compared with -6.2% per year; P = 0.004). Also, 8 new fractures occurred in 7 women in the estrogen group, whereas 20 occurred in 12 women in the placebo group, yielding a lower vertebral fracture rate in the estrogen group (relative risk, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.95).


CONCLUSIONS
Transdermal estradiol treatment is effective in postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis.
Lufkin
E G
EG
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
Wahner
H W
HW
O'Fallon
W M
WM
Hodgson
S F
SF
Kotowicz
M A
MA
Lane
A W
AW
Judd
H L
HL
Caplan
R H
RH
Riggs
B L
BL
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone