BONE ABSORPTIOMETRY IN METABOLIC BONE-DISEASE - BASE-LINE VALUES AND LONG-TERM TREATMENT WITH CALCITRIOL (POSTMENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS VERSUS OSTEOMALACIA)

Total body bone absorptiometry reveals low mineral density in both pos tmenopausal osteoporosis and osteomalacia patients. The method was use d to investigate the effect of calcitriol administration on patients s uffering from one of these conditions. In osteomalacia, the administra tion of calcitriol resulted in a dramatic improvement in bone mineral density (sometimes up to 50% in 12 months), indicating the rapid miner alization of previously uncalcified bone tissue as a result of the nor malization of the Ca x P product. In osteoporosis a similar treatment was seen to halt the progressive decrease in bone mineral levels and s ometimes resulted in minor increases in density (up to 5%). This is li kely to be due to a normalization of intestinal calcium malabsorption which halts secondary homeostatic bone resorption.