title: Comparison of effects of alendronate and raloxifene on lumbar bone mineral density, bone turnover, and lipid metabolism in elderly women with osteoporosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of alendronate and raloxifene on lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover, and lipid metabolism in elderly women with osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty-two postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (mean age: 69.4 years) were randomly divided into 2 groups of 61 patients: the alendronate group and the raloxifene group. BMD of the lumbar spine, urinary level of cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX), and serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), high and low density lipoprotein cholesterols (LDL-C and HDL-C, respectively), and triglycerides (TG) were measured during the 12-month-treatment period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The trial in 50 patients in the alendronate group and 52 patients in the raloxifene group could be completed. Both alendronate and raloxifene increased lumbar BMD (+8.0% and +2.4% at 12 months, respectively), followed by reductions of urinary NTX level and serum ALP level; however, the effects of alendronate were more pronounced than those of raloxifene. Only raloxifene reduced the serum levels of TC and LDL-C (-3.9% and -7.7% at 12 months, respectively), without any significant effect on the serum HDL-C and TG levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study confirmed the efficacy of alendronate greater than raloxifene in increasing lumbar BMD through its effect on marked reduction of the bone turnover more than by raloxifene, and some beneficial effects of raloxifene on lipid metabolism in elderly women with osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinano-machi, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. jiwamoto@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Mitsuyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzawa
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019386:Alendronate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013131:Spine / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010758:Phosphorus; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D002118:Calcium; D019386:Alendronate