title: Alendronate in kidney transplant patients: a single-center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoporosis following a renal transplant is an important cause of morbidity. Several studies have demonstrated the efficiency of diphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the effect of alendronate treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with osteoporosis (lumbar spine and/or hip t-scores < or = -2.5). Two study groups were established: group A (n = 13), patients treated orally with vitamin D, calcium, and alendronate (70 mg/week) and group B (n = 12) patients receiving only vitamin D and calcium. The immunosuppression regimen mostly used was steroids and cyclosporine. BMD was determined at the lumbar spine and hip using a Hologic 4500 QDR densitometer at the start of treatment and after 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study groups showed no significant differences in age, sex, menopause, or transplant time. Group A received a mean of 1.80 +/- 1.3 microg vitamin D/week and 1.3 +/- 2.1 g calcium/d, compared to 1.1 +/- 1 microg and 1.25 +/- 2.3 g, respectively for group B (NS). After a mean of 411.15 +/- 107.75 days of treatment, a significant increase in BMD at the femoral neck was recorded in group A, but not at the level of the spine (+5.57% +/- 3.5%, P < .05 and -0.42% +/- 12%, NS, respectively). No significant changes were observed in group B (-1.45% +/- 8% femoral neck and +1.69% +/- 3.5% hip, NS). Dyspepsia was reported by 7% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this preliminary analysis, alendronate produced, improvements are so far limited to an increased BMD in the hip.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Nefrologia, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain. javitoro65@hotmail.com
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gentil
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pérez-Valdivia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García Avellano
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Algarra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: González-Roncero
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mateos
mesh_terms: D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight; D015519:Bone Density; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium; D019386:Alendronate