The efficacy and safety of calcitriol and/or Caltrate D in elderly Chinese women with low bone mass.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the efficacy and safety of Rocaltrol (calcitriol) and/or Caltrate D (calicum carbonate plus vitamin D) in elderly Chinese women with osteopenia or osteoporosis.


METHODS
One hundred fifty Chinese women aged over 65 years with osteopenia or osteoporosis from three centers were randomly divided into two groups. Seventy-six participants received Caltrate D as one pill daily; the other 74 participants received 0.25 mug Caltrate D plus Rocaltrol daily. The changes in bone mineral density (BMD) served as primary end-points. Height changes, the presence of new vertebral fractures, muscle strength and balance were evaluated.


RESULTS
The following are the mean percentage changes (and SD) in BMD over 12 months: at L2-L4, 0.83+/-3.88 in the Caltrate D group and 2.84+/-4.04 in the Rocaltrol+Caltrate D group (P=0.003, by ANCOVA); at the femoral neck, 0.04+/-3.94 in the Caltrate D group and 2.01+/-5.45 in the Rocaltrol+Caltrate D group (P=0.085, by ANCOVA); and in the trochanter, 1.59+/-4.57 in the Caltrate D group and 3.76+/-6.25 in the Rocaltrol+Caltrate D group (P=0.053, by ANCOVA). The stand and maximal forward reach test (SMFRT) was significantly enhanced in both groups during the 12 months of treatment, but no significant differences were found between these two groups. No severe adverse event related to these medications occurred throughout the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with Rocaltrol plus Caltrate D or Caltrate D for 12 months in elderly Chinese postmenopausal women effectively increased BMD at the lumbar spine. Rocaltrol plus Caltrate D was more effective at the lumbar spine than Caltrate D alone.
Xia
Wei-bo
WB
Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Zhang
Zhong-lan
ZL
Wang
Hong-fu
HF
Meng
Xun-wu
XW
Zhang
Ying
Y
Zhu
Guo-ying
GY
Xing
Xiao-ping
XP
Liu
Jian-li
JL
Wang
Li-hua
LH
Jiang
Yan
Y
Weng
Shi-fang
SF
Xu
Tao
T
Hu
Ying-ying
YY
Yu
Wei
W
Tian
Jun-ping
JP
D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D015519:Bone Density; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010919:Placebos; D011859:Radiography; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D010919:Placebos; D014807:Vitamin D; D002117:Calcitriol; D002119:Calcium Carbonate