title: Effects of alendronate or alfacalcidol on bone metabolic indices and bone mineral density in patients with ophthalmologic disease treated with glucocorticoid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glucocorticoid (GC) is usually used for the treatment of systemic inflammatory diseases. We performed the prospective study to clarify the effects of alendronate or alfacalcidol on bone metabolic indices and bone mineral density (BMD) in 90 patients treated with GC for ophthalmologic diseases without systemic disorders for 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  BMD was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and urinary Type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide (NTx) were measured as bone metabolic indices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMD values in the alendronate group were significantly higher than those in the alfacalcidol group during 12 months. Alendronate significantly reduced urinary NTX levels from the baseline during 12 months, although alfacalcidol did not affect them. Serum BAP levels in the alendronate group were significantly lower than those in the alfacalcidol group during 9 months. The effects of alendronate on BMD and NTx in male patients seemed to be somewhat potent compared with those in female patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alendronate is effective to prevent BMD loss and bone resorption induced by GC treatment in patients with ophthalmic diseases without systemic disorders. There might be sex differences in the potency of alendronate effects.
authors: Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine , Osakasayama , Japan.
authors: Terumasa
authors: T
authors: Ikeda
authors: Kouichi
authors: K
authors: Maruyama
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kaji
authors: Masao
authors: M
authors: Akagi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019386:Alendronate / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; C008088:alfacalcidol; D019386:Alendronate
keywords: Alendronate; Bone metabolic indices; Bone mineral density; Glucocorticoid; Osteoporosis