title: Eldecalcitol: newly developed active vitamin D(3) analog for the treatment of osteoporosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eldecalcitol is an active vitamin D(3) analog, characterized by high stability in the circulation and also in the peripheral tissues, and by strong activity in increasing bone mass in osteoporotic patients. The objective of the present review was to evaluate the effect of eldecalcitol on bone compared with active vitamin D or placebo in preclinical and clinical studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eldecalcitol increased bone mineral density and reduced bone turnover markers greater than alfacalcidol and placebo. Interestingly, in a 3-year clinical trial, bone resorption marker remained suppressed during the eldecalcitol treatment, whereas bone formation markers gradually recovered after initial suppression. The incidences of vertebral fractures and wrist fractures in eldecalcitol-treated group were significantly lower than those in alfacalcidol-treated group by 26 and 71%, respectively. In the patients whose baseline bone turnover was low, eldecalcitol treatment did not further suppress bone turnover markers during the 3-year treatment period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eldecalcitol reduced wrist fractures much greater than alfacalcidol and one of the reasons may be a stronger effect of eldecalcitol on preventing falls. Although the effect of eldecalcitol on bone turnover markers was stronger than that of alfacalcidol or placebo, eldecalcitol is not a mere antibone resorptive agent, rather act as a bone turnover modulator.
authors.affiliation: Tottori University, School of Health Science, 86 Nishi-Cho, Yonago, Tottori 683-8503, Japan. hagino@med.tottori-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hagino
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000188:drug therapy; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D014807:Vitamin D; C547512:eldecalcitol; C008088:alfacalcidol