title: The effect of parathyroid hormone (1-84) treatment on serum bone morphogenetic protein 4 and vascular endothelial growth factor in postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of 18 months' parathyroid hormone 1-84 (PTH 1-84) treatment on serum levels of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (mean age 72.9 ± 8.1 years old) and 23 healthy controls (mean age 68.9 ± 9.9 years old) were enrolled. Patients were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of PTH (1-84) 100 mcg for 18 months, plus calcium 1 gr and vitamin D 800 IU per os daily. Blood samples were taken every 6 months during the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, there were no differences considering anthropometric parameters, co-morbidities, current medications used between patients and controls. Mean serum VEGF levels were significantly higher in osteoporotic patients compared to controls (436.7 ± 259.7 vs. 260.3 ± 184.3 pg/ml, p = 0.006), while there were no differences in mean serum values of BMP4 (5.3 ± 1.7 vs. 5.7 ± 1.6 pg/ml, p = 0.40). Serum VEGF levels increased by approximately 20% after 12 months of PTH (1-84) treatment compared to baseline (p = 0.03) and by 22% after 18 months (p = 0.01). A significant increase of 10% in mean serum BMP4 levels was observed after 18 months of PTH (1-84) treatment compared to baseline (p = 0.02). In the control group we found no differences after 18 months compared to baseline in BMP4 (5.7 ± 1.6 vs. 6.0 ± 1.5 pg/ml, p = 0.53) and VEGF (260.3 ± 184.3 vs. 257.4 ± 107.1 pg/ml, p = 0.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTH (1-84) treatment increased serum levels of VEGF and BMP4 in postmenopausal women with severe osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. jessica.pepe@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Cantatore
authors.affiliation: CTO Andrea Alesini Hospital, ASL Roma 2, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.affiliation: Policlinico Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pola
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Hospital, I.R.C.C.S Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vinicola
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Raimo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biamonte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pascone
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section Health Statistic, "Sapienza" University Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minisola
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C525809:BMP4 protein, human; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Bone morphogenetic protein 4; Osteoporosis; Parathyroid hormone 1–84; Vessel endothelial growth factor