title: Effect of daily hormone therapy and alendronate use on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of daily oral and transdermal hormone therapy alone or in combination with alendronate on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative prospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic of a training and research hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventy-three consecutive postmenopausal women with no previous hormone therapy and a bone mineral density T score <-1 SD were randomly enrolled.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral conjugated estrogen, alone or with alendronate, or transdermal estrogen, alone or with alendronate, given for 1 year. All patients also received medroxyprogesterone acetate and calcium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bone density measurement at L2 to 4 region by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of 1 year, significant increase in bone density measurements were seen in all groups. Oral conjugated estrogen and transdermal estrogen have the same effect on bone mineral density loss. Hormone therapy alone stabilized the bone mineral density loss. Hormone therapy together with alendronate resulted in better values in all groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hormone therapy is adequate in osteopenic women. However, hormone therapy plus alendronate is advantageous in women with considerable bone mineral density loss.
authors.affiliation: Second Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Sişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Inci
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Davas
authors.forename: Aysun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoldemir
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varolan
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yazgan
authors.forename: Basak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baksu
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D019386:Alendronate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D017698:Postmenopause; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D002118:Calcium; D019386:Alendronate