Effects of raloxifene hydrochloride on bone mineral density, bone metabolism and serum lipids in Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Raloxifene has been approved for prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Caucasian women. It also has some positive effects on serum lipids in Caucasians. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of raloxifene hydrochloride on lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density (BMD), bone metabolism, and serum lipids in Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.


METHODS
This was a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which 204 postmenopausal Chinese women with osteoporosis were assigned to receive raloxifene (60 mg) or placebo treatment daily for 12 months. BMD, serum bone metabolism markers, and serum lipids were measured before and after drug administration. BMD was measured by Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and bone metabolism markers were analyzed by one-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum lipids were measured by enzymatic analysis.


RESULTS
At the end of the 12-month study, lumbar spine BMD increased in both groups with a mean increase of (3.3 +/- 4.8)% in the raloxifene group and (1.0 +/- 4.9)% in the placebo group (P < 0.001). There was a mean increase in total hip BMD of (1.4 +/- 4.8)% in the raloxifene group and a mean decrease of (0.9 +/- 5.0)% in the placebo group (P < 0.001). No subject in the raloxifene group had a new vertebral fracture and 5 placebo subjects had new fractures (P > 0.05). In the raloxifene group, the median decreases in the biochemical markers of bone metabolism serum osteocalcin and C-telopeptide were 41.7% and 61.5%, respectively. These changes were statistically significant compared with those in the placebo group (10.6% and 35.6%, P < 0.001, respectively). Both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly in the raloxifene group compared with those in the placebo group (P < 0.001, respectively) and there was no significant effect of raloxifene on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides compared with placebo.


CONCLUSIONS
Raloxifene 60 mg/d for 12 months significantly increases lumbar spine and total hip BMD, significantly decreases bone turnover, and has favourable effects on serum lipids in Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Liu
Jian-li
JL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China. jianliliu301@hotmail.com
Zhu
Han-min
HM
Huang
Qi-ren
QR
Zhang
Zhong-lan
ZL
Li
Hui-lin
HL
Qin
Yue-juan
YJ
Zhang
Ying
Y
Wei
Dao-lin
DL
Lu
Jing-hui
JH
Liu
Hui
H
Chen
Xiao-ping
XP
Liu
Yu-juan
YJ
Ekangaki
Abie
A
Zheng
Yi-man
YM
Diez-Perez
Adolfo
A
Harper
Kristine
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D008055:Lipids; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride