Treatment of multiple myeloma with etidronate: results of a multicentre double-blind study. Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Myélome (GERM).
OBJECTIVE
Because osteoclastic bone resorption is stimulated in multiple myeloma, we evaluated the efficacy of etidronate in this disease, in a multicentre controlled study.


METHODS
Ninety-four previously untreated patients with stage II or III multiple myeloma received, in addition to the same chemotherapy, 10 mg/kg/day etidronate per os (n = 49) or placebo (n = 45) for 4 months. The evaluation was clinical (pain, Karnofsky, survival), biological and radiological. Forty-one patients had iliac bone biopsy before the treatment and 34 patients also at the end of the study. Histologic bone parameters were compared with 49 normal controls.


RESULTS
No statistical difference was found between etidronate and placebo treated patients for clinical, biological and radiological parameters. Compared with controls, pretreatment biopsies showed markedly increased bone resorption and decreased trabecular bone volume. Bone resorption decreased significantly in patients with etidronate compared with those with placebo (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Though we found no clinical, biological and radiological difference with placebo, etidronate inhibited the increased bone resorption in multiple myeloma.
Daragon
A
A
Service de Rhumatologie, CHU de Rouen, Hôpital de Bois-Guillaume, France.
Humez
C
C
Michot
C
C
Le Loet
X
X
Grosbois
B
B
Pouyol
F
F
Euller-Ziegler
L
L
Azais
I
I
Bernard
J F
JF
Menard
J F
JF
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D012968:Etidronic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography
D012968:Etidronic Acid