EFFECT OF NANDROLONE DECANOATE AND 1-ALPHA-HYDROXY-CALCIFEROL ON PATIENTS WITH VERTEBRAL OSTEOPOROTIC COLLAPSE - A DOUBLE-BLIND CLINICAL-TRIAL

Eighty-eight postmenopausal women with at least one vertebral collapse were randomly assigned to two groups of 44 patients each. All patient s were treated for a period of 12 months with 50 mg of nandrolone deca noate every 3 weeks or 1 mu g of 1-alpha-hydroxy-calciferol daily. Bot h groups received an identical placebo of the inactive drug. Pain inte nsity was significantly decreased in the nandrolone group and mobility was improved. Patients treated with vitamin D metabolite had also a b eneficial but less obvious clinical result. Bone mineral measurements showed an increase of 5% in the nandrolone decanoate group, but a 2.5% decrease in the vitamin D metabolite group. Biochemical results showe d a significant hypercalciuric effect of vitamin D metabolite, while n androlone decanoate caused a reduction in calcium/creatinine excretion . No difference in serum lipids was found during the annual treatment in both groups. It is concluded that nandrolone decanoate has a benefi cial effect in clinical symptoms, bone mineral density and biochemical parameters in patients with established osteoporotic vertebral fractu res.