Menatetrenone (vitamin K2) and bone quality in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

Menatetrenone (vitamin K2) reduces the incidence of vertebral fractures but has only modest effects on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Combined treatment with bisphosphonates and menatetrenone may be more effective than treatment with bisphosphonates alone in preventing vertebral fractures, despite the lack of an additive effect of menatetrenone on the BMD increase by bisphosphonates. Menatetrenone improves bone architecture in ovariectomized rats, and the mineral/ matrix ratio of the bone in terms of matrix volume and bone strength (without increasing bone mass) in rats with magnesium deficiency. Thus, available evidence supports an effect of menatetrenone on bone quality during osteoporosis treatment.     

Calcium supplementation and bone mineral density in females from childhood to young adulthood: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Short-term studies established that calcium influences bone accretion during growth. Whether long-term supplementation influences bone accretion in young adults is not known. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the long-term effects of calcium supplementation on bone accretion among females from childhood to young adulthood. DESIGN: A 4-y randomized clinical trial recruited 354 females in pubertal stage 2 and optionally was extended for an additional 3 y. The mean dietary calcium intake of the participants over 7 y was approximately 830 mg/d; calcium-supplemented persons received an additional approximately 670 mg/d. Primary outcome variables were distal and proximal radius bone mineral density (BMD), total-body BMD (TBBMD), and metacarpal cortical indexes. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses of the primary outcomes indicated that calcium-supplementation effects vary over time. Follow-up univariate analyses indicated that all primary outcomes were significantly larger in the supplemented group than in the placebo group at the year 4 endpoint. However, at the year 7 endpoint, this effect vanished for TBBMD and distal radius BMD. Longitudinal models for TBBMD and proximal radius BMD, according to the time since menarche, showed a highly significant effect of supplementation during the pubertal growth spurt and a diminishing effect thereafter. Post hoc stratifications by compliance-adjusted total calcium intake and by final stature or metacarpal total cross-sectional area showed that calcium effects depend on compliance and body frame. CONCLUSIONS: Calcium supplementation significantly influenced bone accretion in young females during the pubertal growth spurt. By young adulthood, significant effects remained at metacarpals and at the forearm of tall persons, which indicated that the calcium requirement for growth is associated with skeletal size. These results may be important for both primary prevention of osteoporosis and prevention of bone fragility fractures during growth.     

The Burden of Osteoporosis and the Case for Disease Management

Currently, osteoporosis, defined as low bone mineral density (BMD), affects 30% of postmenopausal women and 8% of men >50 years old in Western society and these percentages are likely to increase as our elderly population expands. Osteoporosis-related fractures increase with age and reductions in BMD, with the greatest increase in hip, followed by vertebral, and then wrist fractures. Osteoporosis is associated with significant mortality and for each 1 SD decrease in BMD there is a 1.5-fold increase in mortality risk. Following a hip fracture, 25–30% of patients will die within 3–6 months and in some populations hip fractures account for 1.5% of all deaths. Osteoporosis and related fractures are associated with significant morbidity, with loss of independence, psychological effects, and an overall decreased quality of life.The current financial cost of osteoporosis in the US is $US14 billion and in the UK just over £1 billion, and these costs will increase 3- to 8-fold over the next 50 years. Treatments are available that have been shown to significantly increase BMD, decrease bone turnover, and as a result decrease fracture incidence. For reductions in both vertebral and fracture, the evidence is strongest for the use of the bisphosphonates alendronate and risedronate; while for vertebral fracture, effective treatments include raloxifene, etidronate, calcitonin, and calcium plus vitamin D. Recent data suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can prevent hip and vertebral fractures, but long-term use, or commencement in elderly women of some continuous combined preparations, is no longer recommended.It has been recognized that bone turnover and bone quality contribute to fracture risk and, therefore, biochemical assessment of bone resorption and formation may increase the clinical and cost effectiveness of treatment. Using a conservative estimate of fracture reduction (35%) over a 5-year period, an intervention costing $US500 (£333) per year is cost effective when targeted to women with osteoporosis who are ≥65 years of age. It has been calculated that the lower the intervention cost and the higher the effectiveness of treatment the lower the age at which the treatment would be cost effective. The increasing healthcare burden and effective treatments make osteoporosis an excellent candidate for disease management programs.     

Loss of hip bone mineral density over time is associated with spine and hip fracture incidence in osteoporotic postmenopausal women

The objective of the study assess the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) loss over time and fracture incidence in postmenopausal women. This is a posthoc analysis that includes women from the placebo group of two large randomized controlled trials having assessed the efficacy of a new anti-osteoporotic drug. BMD was assessed every 6 months during 3 years at the lumbar spine, the femoral neck and the total proximal femur. Vertebral fractures were assessed using a semiquantitative method. Hip fractures were based on written documentation. All patients received calcium and vitamin D. In the present study that included 1,775 patients (with complete data at baseline and after 3 years), the logistic regression analysis, adjusted for covariates, showed that 3-year change in lumbar BMD was not statistically associated with the new vertebral fractures after 3 years. However, femoral neck and total proximal femur BMD changes was statistically correlated with the incidence of new vertebral fractures (P < 0.001). When considering change in BMD after the first year of follow-up, a decrease in total proximal femur BMD was statistically associated with an increase in the incidence of new vertebral fractures during the last 2 years of follow-up (P = 0.048). The 3-year change in femoral neck and total proximal BMD was statistically correlated with the incidence of hip and fragility fracture after 3 years (all P < 0.001). In this elderly osteoporotic population receiving calcium and vitamin D, a decrease in hip BMD after 1 or 3 year of follow-up, is associated with an increased risk of fracture incidence. However, spine BMD changes do not influence vertebral fracture incidence.     

Vitamin K2 Therapy for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Vitamin K may play an important role in the prevention of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Menatetrenone is the brand name of a synthetic vitamin K₂ that is chemically identical to menaquinone-4. The present review study aimed to clarify the effect of menatetrenone on the skeleton in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, by reviewing the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the literature. RCTs that investigated the effect of menatetrenone on bone mineral density (BMD), measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and fracture incidence in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, were identified by a PubMed search for literature published in English. Eight studies met the criteria for RCTs. Small RCTs showed that menatetrenone monotherapy decreased serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) concentrations, modestly increased lumbar spine BMD, and reduced the incidence of fractures (mainly vertebral fracture), and that combined alendronate and menatetrenone therapy enhanced the decrease in serum ucOC concentrations and further increased femoral neck BMD. This review of the literature revealed positive evidence for the effects of menatetrenone monotherapy on fracture incidence in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Further studies are required to clarify the efficacy of menatetrenone in combination with bisphosphonates against fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.     

Osteoporosis for the home care physician. Part 1: etiology and current diagnostic strategies

Osteoporosis affects over 20 million individuals in North America and is responsible for over 1.5 million fractures in the US. Although most cases of osteoporosis are primary, in 20% of older women and 40% of older men presenting with vertebral fractures, a secondary cause can be identified. The WHO based the diagnosis of postmenopausal osteoporosis on the presence of BMD T-score that is 2.5 standard deviations or greater below the mean for young women. The International Society of Clinical Densitometry defined male osteoporosis as BMD T-score of 2.5 or greater below the mean for young men. BMD assessment at the hip and spine by DXA is the standard procedure to assess bone density. Laboratory testing in patients with low BMD is performed to exclude other conditions that could cause low BMD such as multiple myeloma, endocrinopathies and osteomalacia. Bone turnover marker levels currently do not predict bone mass or fracture risk and are only weakly associated with changes in bone mass. Subsequently, they are of limited use in the clinical evaluation of bone density changes.     

Hormonal contraception and bone metabolism: a systematic review

BackgroundAlthough a large amount of studies in the literature evaluated the effects of hormonal contraception on bone, many questions remained still unclear, such as the effect of these therapies on fracture risk.Study DesignWe performed a systematic search of the published studies from January 1975 through January 2012 on the effects of hormonal contraceptives on bone metabolism. We analyzed the overall effect on bone mineral density (BMD) and on fracture risk of combined oral contraceptives (COCs), progestogen-only contraceptives, transdermal contraceptives and vaginal ring.ResultsCOC therapy does not seem to exert any significant effect on BMD in the general population. In adolescents, the effects of COCs on BMD seem to be mainly determined by estrogen dose. The use of COCs in perimenopausal women seems to reduce bone demineralization and may significantly increase BMD even at a 20-mcg dose. Use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate is associated with a decrease in BMD, although this decrease seems to be partially reversible after discontinuation. Data on other progestogen-only contraceptives, transdermal patch and vaginal ring are still limited, although it seems that these contraceptive methods do not exert any influence on BMD.ConclusionsHormonal contraceptives do not seem to exert any significant effect on bone in the general population. However, other randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the effects on fracture risk since the data available are derived from studies having the effects on BMD as the primary end point, and BMD may not accurately reflect the real fracture risk.     

64排128层螺旋CT骨密度测量在椎体骨质疏松性骨折研究领域的进展

目的:本研究旨在应用64排128层螺旋CT进行骨密度测量,探讨椎体骨质疏松与骨折的相关性。方法:选取2011年1月至2012年12月在我院就诊的50岁以上中、老年病例200例,进行骨密度(BMD)测定,分析其定量CT(QCT)脊柱检查资料,将骨折病例作为研究组、无骨折病例作为对照组,然后进行统计学处理。结果:骨折组的椎骨BMD明显低于无骨折组,BMD与椎体骨折呈负相关性,BMD越低,骨质疏松的程度越严重,发生骨折的几率就越高。结论:64排128层螺旋CT骨密度测定是一种非常准确的骨密度测量方法,利用此种检查方法可早期发现骨质疏松,并积极进行干预,从而预防椎体骨折的发生。     

Vertebral compression fractures at the onset of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a child

A child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, spinal osteoporosis with vertebral compression fractures, and hypercalcemia appearing early in the course of the hematologic disease was followed for two and a half years. Bone mineral density (BMD), measured by single photon absorptiometry at the radial shaft, was within normal limits for age and sex. However, x-rays of vertebrae and vertebral BMD, measured by dual photon absorptiometry, showed marked demineralization. Despite leukemic remission, the spinal osteoporosis became worse and the patient required aggressive treatment for eight months. Treatment included 50 units of calcitonin subcutaneously every other day, 1,000 mg/day of oral calcium, and 3,000 IU/day of vitamin D. The back pain disappeared quickly, and laboratory controls showed a significant diminution of bone turnover. No new compression fractures occurred. Eighteen months later, the patient continued in remission and menarche had occurred. Dual photon absorptiometry revealed a significant "catch up" of the lumbar spine BMD. X-ray examination showed a marked remodeling of the vertebral bodies. BMD measurements in this child indicate that bone loss affected the trabecular bone compartment or occurred only at active bone marrow sites. The rapid clinical amelioration and objective biochemical, densitometric, and radiologic evidence of bone improvement warrant further clinical trials on similarly affected patients.     

Bone health and osteoporosis: the role of vitamin K and potential antagonism by anticoagulants.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin K's effects extend beyond blood clotting to include a role in bone metabolism and potential protection against osteoporosis. Vitamin K is required for the gamma-carboxylation of osteocalcin. Likewise, this gamma-carboxylation also occurs in the liver for several coagulation proteins. This mechanism is interrupted by coumarin-based anticoagulants in both the liver and bone. METHODS: A thorough review of the literature on vitamin K, osteocalcin and their role in bone metabolism and osteoporosis, as well as the potential bone effects of anticoagulant therapy was conducted. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological studies and clinical trials consistently indicate that vitamin K has a positive effect on bone mineral density and decreases fracture risk. Typical dietary intakes of vitamin K are below the levels associated with better BMD and reduced fracture risk; thus issues of increasing dietary intakes, supplementation, and/or fortification arise. To effectively address these issues, large-scale, intervention trials of vitamin K are needed. The effects of coumarin-based anticoagulants on bone health are more ambiguous, with retrospective studies suggesting that long-term therapy adversely affects vertebral BMD and fracture risk. Anticoagulants that do not affect vitamin K metabolism are now available and make clinical trials feasible to answer the question of whether coumarins adversely affect bone. The research suggests that at a minimum, clinicians should carefully assess anticoagulated patients for osteoporosis risk, monitor BMD, and refer them to dietitians for dietary and supplement advice on bone health. Further research is needed to make more efficacious decisions about vitamin K intake, anticoagulant therapy, and bone health.     

Bone density recovery after depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable contraception use

BACKGROUND: While depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is a highly effective contraceptive used by millions of women, its use is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) loss, raising concerns about long-term risk of osteoporosis and/or fractures. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review of studies published in PubMed from 1996 to 2006, evaluating changes in BMD after discontinuation of DMPA. Ten primary clinical or observational studies were identified addressing this issue. RESULTS: BMD consistently returned toward or to baseline values following DMPA discontinuation in women of all ages. This recovery in BMD was seen as early as 24 weeks after stopping therapy and persisted for as long as women were followed up; BMD in past DMPA users was similar to that in nonusers. CONCLUSIONS: Bone loss occurring with DMPA use is reversible and is not likely to be an important risk factor for low bone density and fractures in older women, although data on fracture risk in DMPA users are lacking.     

Efficient and improved diagnosis of osteoporosis by simultaneous bone density measurement and spinal morphometry

OBJECTIVE: As the vertebral fracture status is an important and independent parameter for the prediction of future fractures, we aimed to determine the added value of spinal morphometry performed in combination with bone density measurement in the determination of vertebral fracture status in patients referred for conventional bone density measurement. DESIGN: Prospective, observational. METHOD: Consecutive patients referred to our university medical centre department for bone mineral density measurement also underwent spinal morphometry at the same session. The primary outcome parameter was the prevalence of vertebral fractures. RESULTS: A total of 958 patients were included. In 28% the indication was primary osteoporosis, and in 72% it was secondary osteoporosis. In 98% spinal morphometry was technically successful. In 681 patients (71%) Lvi-Tiv and in 826 (86%) Liv-Tv were visualized. One or more fractures were found in 25% of patients; a mean of 1.8 vertebral fractures per patient. In 68% of these patients this fracture was previously unknown. Most fractures (76%) were wedge shaped. The degree of severity of the fracture was mild in 43%, moderate in 44%, and severe in 13%. Even after excluding mild fractures, the prevalence of vertebral fractures was 17%. Bone density classification was normal in 28% of patients. There was osteopenia in 43% and osteoporosis in 29%. The prevalence of vertebral fractures in these subgroups was 18%, 23% and 36% respectively. CONCLUSION: Including spinal morphometry in bone mineral density measurement is of added value as this method detected previously unknown vertebral fractures in a great number of patients.     

An evidence-based evaluation of percutaneous vertebroplasty

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a therapeutic, interventional radiologic procedure that involves injection of bone cement into a cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebral body lesion for the relief of pain and the strengthening of bone. This procedure only recently has been introduced, and is being used for patients with lytic lesions due to bone metastases, aggressive hemangiomas, or multiple myeloma, and for patients who have medically intractable debilitating pain resulting from osteoporotic vertebral collapse. FINDINGS: Results from two uncontrolled prospective studies and several case series reports, including one with 187 patients, indicate that percutaneous vertebroplasty can produce significant pain relief and increase mobility in 70 percent to 80 percent of patients with osteolytic lesions in the vertebrae from hemangiomas, metastases, or myeloma, or with osteoporotic compression fractures. In these reports, pain relief was apparent within one to two days after injection, and persisted for at least several months up to several years. While experimental studies and preliminary clinical results suggest that percutaneous vertebroplasty can also strengthen the vertebral bodies and increase mobility, it remains to be proven whether this procedure can prevent additional fractures in the injected vertebrae. In addition, the duration of effect is not known; there were no long-term follow-up data on most of these patients, and these data may be difficult to obtain and interpret in patients with an underlying malignant process, because disease progression may confound evaluation of the treatment effect. Complications were relatively rare, although some studies reported a high incidence of clinically insignificant leakage of bone cement into the paravertebral tissues. In a few cases, the leakage of polymer caused compression of spinal nerve roots or neuralgia. Several instances of pulmonary embolism were also reported. Although patient selection criteria have not been definitely established, percutaneous vertebroplasty is considered appropriate treatment for patients with vertebral lesions resulting from osteolytic metastasis and myeloma, hemangioma, and painful osteoporotic compression fractures if the following criteria have been met: o Severe debilitating pain or loss of mobility that cannot be relieved by correct medical therapy. o Other causes of pain, such as herniated intervertebral disk have been ruled out by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. o The affected vertebra has not been extensively destroyed and is at least one third of its original height. o Radiation therapy or concurrent surgical interventions, such as laminectomy, may also be required in patients with compression of the spinal cord due to ingrowth of a tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous vertebroplasty has only recently been introduced as a treatment for osteolytic lesions and osteoporotic compression fractures of the vertebrae, but early results are promising. Up to 80 percent of patients with pain unresponsive to correct medical treatment experience a significant degree of pain relief, and few serious complications have been reported. However, relatively few patients have undergone this procedure, and there are no data from controlled clinical trials or from studies with long-term follow-up. At the present time this procedure is still in the investigational stages, but may be appropriate for patients with no other reasonable options for medical treatment.     

Treating osteoporosis

The aims of treatment of established osteoporosis are the alleviation of symptoms and reduction of the risk of further fractures. Currently available drugs are used to prevent further bone loss and can reduce the risk of further fractures by up to 50%. Drugs to increase bone mass inhibit bone resorption or stimulate bone formation. Most drugs approved for use in osteoporosis inhibit bone resorption, but some of these (e.g. hormone replacement therapy (HRT), bisphosphonates) increase BMD by 5-10% over the first 2 years of treatment. However, this contribution notes that drug treatments should be monitored by BMD, because some patients fail to respond to certain drugs. There is also evidence that the rate of bone loss is accelerated once treatment is stopped; it is therefore important to measure BMD or bone turnover markers after stopping treatment.     

An audit of current clinical practice in the management of osteoporosis in Nottingham

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is now recognized by the World Health Organization and the Department of Health as a major public health problem. In 1994, the Advisory Group on Osteoporosis (AGO), set up by the Department of Health, recommended that Health Authorities and general practitioner fundholders should purchase bone densitometry services for the management of osteoporosis. The aims of this study were to assess the criteria for requests for bone densitometry from primary care in comparison with the AGO recommendations and to compare the numbers of patients referred with a low-trauma osteoporotic fracture with the expected number of fractures in the Nottingham area. METHODS: Patient referral data and requests for bone densitometry were collected by case note review of all new patients referred to the Nottingham Osteoporosis Clinic over a 12 month period and then compared with the AGO recommendations. The patients referred with a history of a low-trauma fracture were then compared with the expected incidence of fractures, calculated using age-sex-specific fracture incidence data applied to the Nottingham population Census statistics. RESULTS: A total of 413 patients were referred to the Osteoporosis Clinic for bone densitometry. Almost two-thirds of the patients had no clinical indicators for requests for scanning, in comparison with the AGO recommendations. Seventy-seven patients were referred with vertebral fracture, 12 hip, 20 colles and 26 other fractures. Using age-sex-specific fracture incidence data applied to the Nottingham population Census statistics, it was estimated that the expected incidence of hip fractures would be 812, distal forearm fractures 514 and vertebral fractures presenting to clinical attention 625. This represents 1.5 per cent of the total hip fractures, 3.9 per cent distal forearm and 12.3 per cent vertebral actually presenting to the Osteoporosis Clinic. CONCLUSION: Bone densitometry was requested in up to 60 per cent of the patients with no clinical risk factors to warrant bone densitometry. Osteoporosis-related fractures remain unrecognized in clinical practice. The majority of patients do not receive specialist assessment despite being at high risk of future fracture. Further steps are necessary to educate health care professionals in primary and secondary care, but more importantly, to direct services more proactively in those at high risk of future fracture.     

骨水泥对椎体成形术后骨密度的影响分析

目的分析骨水泥对椎体成形术后骨密度的影响。方法对86例骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折（OVCFs）患者行单节段经皮椎体成形术（PVP）治疗。随机分组聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯（PMMA）骨水泥组及磷酸钙骨水泥（CPC）组,监测患者术前、术后（3月、12月）病椎、相邻椎体骨密度的变化以及相邻椎体骨折发生率。结果比较两组病椎非骨水泥注射区骨密度（BMD）的变化,无显著差异性（P〉0．05）;上下椎体BMD无显著差异性（P〉0．05）;对于相邻椎体再骨折与未发生组BMD比较,有显著差异性（P〈0．05）。结论椎体成形术后PMMA和CPC骨水泥对病椎及相邻椎体的骨密度影响不明显,骨密度降低是引起相邻椎体再骨折的重要因素：研发一种既能恢复生物力学强度、又有诱导成骨的骨水泥很有必要。     

Obesity during childhood and adolescence augments bone mass and bone dimensions

BACKGROUND: Studies of the effect of childhood obesity on bone accrual during growth have yielded conflicting results, largely related to the failure to adequately characterize the confounding effects of growth, maturation, and body composition. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of childhood obesity on skeletal mass and dimensions relative to height, body composition, and maturation in males and females. DESIGN: In 132 nonobese (body mass index < 85th percentile) and 103 obese (body mass index > or = 95th percentile) subjects aged 4-20 y, whole-body and vertebral bone mineral content (BMC) was determined by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and bone area, areal bone mineral density (BMD), and fat and lean masses were measured. Vertebral volumetric BMD was estimated as BMC/area(1.5). RESULTS: Obesity was associated with greater height-for-age, advanced maturation for age, and greater lean mass for height (all P < 0.001). Sex-specific multivariate regressions with adjustment for maturation showed that obesity was associated with greater vertebral areal BMD for height, greater volumetric BMD, and greater vertebral BMC for bone area (all P < 0.05). After adjustment for maturation and lean mass, obesity was associated with significantly greater whole-body bone area and BMC for age and for height (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast with the results of prior studies, obesity during childhood and adolescence was associated with increased vertebral bone density and increased whole-body bone dimensions and mass. These differences persisted after adjustment for obesity-related increases in height, maturation, and lean mass. Future studies are needed to determine the effect of these differences on fracture risk.     

Biomarkers of bone health and osteoporosis risk

The assay features of biochemical markers of bone turnover have markedly improved in the past few years. The most sensitive and specific markers of bone formation include serum bone alkaline phosphatase, total osteocalcin (including the intact molecule and the large N-mid fragment) and the procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide assay. Among the various markers of bone resorption, measurements of the urinary excretion of N- and C-terminal cross-linked telopeptides) and of serum C-terminal cross-linked telopeptides are the most sensitive and specific. Markers of bone turnover can be used to predict the rate of bone loss in post-menopausal women and can also be used to assess the risk of fractures. In osteoporosis-treatment studies (with alendronate, risedronate, raloxifene) markers of bone turnover appear even more strongly associated with fracture risk reduction than bone mineral density (BMD). These observations support the use of markers of bone turnover as surrogates for fracture risk reduction, perhaps even more so than BMD. Bone markers can also be used to monitor the efficacy of antiresorptive therapy such as hormone-replacement therapy, raloxifene and bisphosphonates in individual patients. Furthermore, they have also proved to be helpful in monitoring the response to nutritional interventions and have the advantage over BMD in that they provide information about mechanism of effect and changes are often observed much more rapidly.     

Raloxifene reduces risk of vertebral fractures [corrected] in postmenopausal women regardless of prior hormone therapy

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether past use of hormone therapy influences the effects of raloxifene on the risk of new vertebral fracture, cardiovascular events, or breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: The Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE) trial examined vertebral fracture incidence as the primary endpoint, breast cancer incidence as a secondary endpoint. Cardiovascular events were collected as secondary safety endpoints. POPULATION: The MORE trial enrolled 7705 postmenopausal women. Of the 7682 women who reported their previous HT use status, 29% used HT before screening. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Separate logistic regression models analyzed the relationships between prior HT use and the risk of vertebral fracture, cardiovascular events, or breast cancer. Interaction terms with P<.10 were considered to be statistically significant. Confidence intervals for relative risks (RR) were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method. RESULTS: Raloxifene 60 mg/d, the clinically approved dose for osteoporosis prevention and treatment, reduced the risk of vertebral fractures by 54% (RR=0.46) and 29% (RR=0.71) in women with and without prior HT use, respectively (interaction P=.05). A lower incidence of invasive breast cancer in women with prior HT use (RR=0.23) and in women without prior HT use [RR=0.31; interaction P=.60] was observed in women receiving raloxifene (pooled doses). Irrespective of prior HT use, women treated with raloxifene (pooled doses) had no change in incidence of cardiovascular events (interaction P=.56). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of vertebral fractures was lower in women treated with raloxifene, regardless of prior HT use, but there was a suggestion that the effect was greater in women who had used HT. Women randomized to receive raloxifene exhibited a decreased incidence of invasive breast cancer, compared with women receiving placebo. No change occurred in the incidence of cardiovascular events, regardless of prior HT use.     

老年妇女骨折与骨密度关系的探讨

目的根据本院骨折住院病人骨密度(bone mineral density,BMD)的改变探讨老年椎骨骨折与BMD的关系,为老年人椎骨骨折的防治提供理论依据。方法自2007年1月-2009年1月,共收集椎骨骨折妇女48例(55～70岁),健康体检未骨折妇女21例(56～72岁)。采用双能X线骨密度仪Lunar-DPXIQ测定腰椎正位(L2-4)BMD降低情况。结果骨折组腰椎BMD低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论老年妇女椎骨骨折的发生与腰椎BMD的降低明显相关。