title: The effects of calcitriol therapy on serum interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in post-menopausal patients with osteoporosis.
abstract: Seventy post-menopausal women with osteoporosis were randomized into two groups: 40 patients received calcitriol (0.5 microg/day) and calcium (1000 mg/day); and 30 control patients received calcium (1000 mg/day) alone. Thirty healthy women formed the healthy control group. Bone mineral density (BMD) and serum interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations were measured at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. Calcitriol treatment for 6 months significantly increased BMD and reduced serum IL-1 and TNF-alpha concentrations compared with no significant changes in patients treated with calcium alone. Both treatments increased serum calcium and decreased parathyroid hormone concentrations. The healthy control group had a significantly lower IL-6 concentration than the post-menopausal women with osteoporosis. We have shown that calcitriol was an effective treatment for osteoporosis. Significant reductions in serum IL-1 and TNF-alpha concentrations suggest that, in addition to increasing the absorption of calcium, calcitriol may directly affect bone metabolism via cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Physics Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inanir
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozoran
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tutkak
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mermerci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002117:Calcitriol; D002118:Calcium