Clodronate. A randomized study in the treatment of cancer-related hypercalcemia.
Malignancy-associated hypercalcemia is a common and recalcitrant problem. Current modes of therapy are often ineffective or prohibitively toxic. Clodronate disodium is a diphosphonate capable of inhibiting bone resorption resulting in a hypocalcemic effect. In this randomized, placebo-controlled study, we investigated the effect of hydration only (Rx-1) vs the effect of hydration plus either intravenously administered clodronate disodium, 4 mg/kg of body weight per day for three days (Rx-2) or intravenously administered clodronate disodium, 12 mg/kg of body weight given once only (Rx-3). By the third day of observation, Rx-2 produced a significant 2.8 mg/dL (0.70 mmol/L) reduction in serum calcium levels, whereas Rx-1 and Rx-3 did not produce a significant hypocalcemic effect when compared with baseline values. There were no toxicities observed. Intravenously administered clodronate appears to be an excellent agent for the acute treatment of malignancy-associated hypercalcemia.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004002:Clodronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004164:Diphosphonates; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D004002:Clodronic Acid