MANAGEMENT OF POSTMENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS

More than 25% of postmenopausal women are at risk of osteoporosis. In order to avoid its consequences, it is necessary to find an appropriat e prevention and/or treatment. We studied: (1) 15 postmenopausal women treated with percutaneous estradiol (50 mu g/24 h) plus MPA (10 mg/10 days/month); (2) 15 postmenopausal women treated with synthetic calci tonin nasal spray at the daily dose of 100 IU; (3) 10 postmenopausal w omen treated with nandrolone decanoate (50 mg every 3 weeks); (4) 10 p ostmenopausal women treated with ipriflavone (600 mg/day); and (5) 10 postmenopausal women treated with sodium fluoride (20 mg) plus calcium (600 mg). Clinical examination, bone mass measurement (total BMD), he matochemical and urinary parameters of bone metabolism (calcium, urina ry hydroxyproline, PTH) and growth factors (as IGF-I and TNF-beta) wer e evaluated. After 6 months of therapy, a complete prevention of bone resorption was achieved. In agreement with current literature, we obse rved that the various therapeutic approaches have all some positive ef fect on BMD, with different results on pain, blood biochemical paramet ers and growth factors' concentrations.