title: Alendronate improves bone mineral density in elderly women with osteoporosis residing in long-term care facilities. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many elderly female residents of long-term care facilities have osteoporosis and could benefit from intervention to increase bone density.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy and safety of alendronate for treatment of osteoporosis in elderly female residents of long-term care facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 2-year study.
  
  
  METHODS
  25 long-term care facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  327 elderly women with osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomly assigned to receive alendronate, 10 mg/d, or placebo. All patients also received vitamin D, 400 IU/d, and some patients received supplemental calcium (total intake, approximately 1500 mg/d).
  
  
  METHODS
  Bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine and hip and biochemical markers of bone turnover.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alendronate produced significantly greater increases in BMD than did placebo (24-month differences: spine, 4.4% [95% CI, 3.3% to 5.5%]; femoral neck, 3.4% [CI, 2.3% to 4.4%]). Alendronate produced greater decreases from baseline in biochemical markers of bone turnover than did placebo (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alendronate increased BMD at both the spine and hip in elderly female residents of long-term care facilities.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Osteoporosis Prevention & Treatment Center, 1110 Kaufmann Building, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Greenspan
authors.forename: Diane L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: McClung
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Schnitzer
authors.forename: Randi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonin
authors.forename: Mary Elizabeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: DeLucca
authors.forename: Glenn J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gormley
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Melton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D012112:Residential Facilities; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium; D019386:Alendronate