Effect of rocaltrol on bone mass in patients with pulmonary disease treated with corticosteroids.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of calcitriol on bone mass in patients with corticosteroid induced osteoporosis. Thirty-seven patients (26 females, 11 males, mean age 66.4 years) with pulmonary disease under long-term treatment with corticosteroids (5-10 mg prednisolone daily) and osteopenia/osteoporosis verified by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) measurement were enrolled into the study. Rocaltrol was prescribed to 30/37 of the patients, the rest of the patients (6 females, 1 male) served as controls. In the treatment group, there was a slight increase of bone mass in the hip and lumbar vertebrae (L1-L4), whereas the control group showed a decrease of bone mass (change rate of bone mass in patients +0.8% and +1.0%, respectively, vs. -1.9% and -0.3%, respectively, in the control group). The preliminary results of our study suggest a beneficial role for the treatment of corticosteroid induced osteoporosis with Rocaltrol, which is well-tolerated by patients and cost-efficient in patient management.
Mirzaei
Siroos
S
Department and L. Boltzmann Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wilhelminenspital, Vienna, Austria. siroos.mirzaei@nuk.wil.magwien.gv.at
Zajicek
Hubert K
HK
Knoll
Peter
P
Hahn
Marianne
M
Levi
Moshe
M
Köhn
Horst
H
Pohl
Wolfgang
W
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D002117:Calcitriol