HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY INCREASES TRABECULAR AND CORTICAL BONE-DENSITY IN OSTEOPOROTIC WOMEN

Twenty five postmenopausal Caucasian women with established osteoporos is or severe osteopenia were treated with continuous combined estrogen /progesterone (2 mg 17 beta estradiol and 5 mg medroxiprogesterone) an d 1000 mg of calcium daily. The mean age of the patients was 57 +/- 6 years (range 44 to 69 years), and the average postmenopausal interval was of 10.7 +/- 4.2 years. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumba r spine and proximal femur was determined using DXA densitometer at ba seline, 12 and 24 months of treatment. Serum and urine measurements we re done at baseline and 12 months, After 24 months of treatment bone m ineral density increased at the trochanter 10.2% p < 0.001, lumbar spi ne 9.6% (p < 0.001, Ward's triangle 8.6% p < 0.005 and femoral neck 5. 7% p < 0.001 in comparison to basal levels. In the first year of treat ment serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxiproline diminished significantly in comparison to basal levels (p < 0.001, for both). In conclusion, this study indicates that continuous combined estrogen pro gesterone therapy decreases bone turnover and increases BMD of the spi ne, femoral neck and trochanter in established osteoporosis.