title: Bisphosphonates: a potential role in the prevention of osteoporosis in laying hens.
abstract: Osteoporosis in layers is associated with the modelling and remodelling of medullary bone. Cancellous bone volume (CBV) decreases initially during medullary bone modelling and continues to decrease during subsequent remodelling. In an attempt to maintain peak structural bone mass, the bisphosphonate, alendronate, was administered to pullets before medullary bone modelling. At point of lay CBV was significantly greater (P<0.01) in the alendronate group (17.59 per cent) than in controls (13.79 per cent), while medullary bone volume (MBV) was not significantly affected. After 20 weeks, CBV remained significantly higher (P<0.02) in the alendronate group (12.72 per cent) than in controls (9.80 per cent) and MBV was lower in the alendronate group than the control group. CBV was however reduced and MBV increased in both groups compared with values at point of lay. Alendronate therefore appeared to prevent the bone loss associated with medullary bone modelling but not that which occurs during remodelling.
authors.affiliation: Roslin Institute, Midlothian.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Thorp
mesh_terms: D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D010058:Oviposition; D011201:Poultry Diseases
chemical_list: D019386:Alendronate