Treatment of osteoporosis with 1-alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol and calcium.
A double-blind comparative study of 1 alpha-OHD3 and placebo was performed on 37 patients with osteoporotic hip fracture without clinical osteomalacia. 1 alpha-OHD3, in a dose of 1 microgram/day together with 2.5 g CaCO3, did not heal osteoporosis as judged from determinations of bone mineral density and histomorphometric analyses during four months of treatment. However, 1 alpha-OHD3 seemed to have an effect on fracture healing as concluded from the posttreatment alkaline phosphatase level. Hypercalcemia was common, occurring in six out of 19 patients treated with 1 alpha-OHD3. It is concluded that treatment of osteoporosis with 1 alpha-OHD3 and calcium is ineffective and potentially dangerous because it frequently causes hypercalcemia.
D000368:Aged; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010919:Placebos
D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D008903:Minerals; D010919:Placebos; D002118:Calcium