The effects of bone therapy on tibial bone loss in young women with anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
Osteoporosis is recognized as a common medical complication of anorexia nervosa (AN). The purpose of the current study was to investigate the recovery mechanism of osteoporosis in AN and the effect of medical treatment on the skeletal system.


METHODS
We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled study of the effects of etidronate and calcium and vitamin D on bone loss in 41 outpatients with the restricting type of AN (AN-R). We measured the tibial speed of sound (SOS) before and after 3 months of treatment.


RESULTS
The bone mineral density (BMD) of the tibial SOS change in both the etidronate group and the calcium and vitamin D Group was significantly greater (p < .001) than in the control group. Urine-N-telopeptide cross-links of type I collagen (NTx) before and after treatment decreased significantly (p < .01) in the etidronate group.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that both etidronate and calcium and vitamin D are equally efficacious for reversing the degree of osteoporosis in patients with AN.
Nakahara
Toshihiro
T
Department of Behavioral Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Kagoshima-City, Japan. ayana-n@m3.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Nagai
Nobuatsu
N
Tanaka
Muneki
M
Muranaga
Tetsuro
T
Kojima
Shinya
S
Nozoe
Shin-ichi
S
Naruo
Tetsuro
T
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012968:Etidronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013977:Tibia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D; D012968:Etidronic Acid; D002118:Calcium