Testing an intervention for preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors.
OBJECTIVE
To test a 12-month multicomponent intervention for preventing or treating osteoporosis in 21 postmenopausal women who had completed treatment (except Tamoxifen) for breast cancer, and for whom hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was contraindicated.


METHODS
Pilot intervention study.


METHODS
The intervention consisted of home-based strength and weight training exercises, 5 or 10 mg alendronate per day, 1500 mg calcium per day, 400 IU vitamin D per day, education on osteoporosis, and facilitative strategies to promote adherence to the intervention. Outcome measures were: adherence to the intervention, dynamic balance, muscle strength, and bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip, spine, and forearm.


CONCLUSIONS
Adherence to calcium, vitamin D, and alendronate therapy was above 95%, and adherence to strength training exercises was above 85%. Over the 12 months, the 21 participants had significant improvements in dynamic balance, muscle strength for hip flexion, hip extension, and knee flexion, and BMD of the spine and hip. Participants had a significant decrease in BMD of the forearm. Three of the 21 women who had measurable bone loss at baseline had normal BMD after 12 months of the intervention.
Waltman
Nancy L
NL
University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing, P.O. Box 880620, Lincoln, NE 68588-0620, USA. nwaltman@unmc.edu
Twiss
Janice J
JJ
Ott
Carol D
CD
Gross
Gloria Jean
GJ
Lindsey
Ada M
AM
Moore
Timothy E
TE
Berg
Kris
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019386:Alendronate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000075202:Contraindications; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D018401:Sample Size; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014891:Weight Lifting
D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium; D019386:Alendronate