Background
Alendronate and hormone replacement therapies are very effective in the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. But, there were few datas about alendronate treatment in Korea. We evaluated the effect of alendronate therapy on bone mass and compared the effectivity in between the group with alendronate treatment alone and the group with alendronate-tibolone combination treatment.
Methods
A total 30 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, who had no history of special drug treatment for osteoporosis, were recruited for this study. 10 women received daily alendronate 10 mg (Group I), 10 women received daily alendronate 10 mg and tibolone 2.5 mg (Group II), and 10 women received daily calcitriol 0.5 g (Group III). Changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone turnover were assessed before and after 6 months of treatment.
Results
In group I and II, average L2-L4 bone mineral density was significantly increased by 6.2±2.3% and 7.8±2.5% (p<0.01, in both groups) after treatment. But, in group III, percent change in BMD was not significant (0.5±2.2%, p=0.475). Biochemical markers of bone turnover (alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin) decreased significantly at 6 months in all three groups.
Conclusion
Alendronate and alendronate-tibolone combination therapies are significantly increased bone mineral density and decreased bone resorption. These therapies seemed to be very effective in the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
