Ossein-hydroxyapatite compounds for preventing postmenopausal bone loss - Coadjuvant use with hormone replacement therapy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the addition of an ossein-hydroxyapatite com pound (OHC) may improve the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on postmenopausal bone loss. STUDY DESIGN: Of the 118 recent surgically postmenopausal women initially s elected for this open study, 96 completed one-year follow-up. Patients were allocated into four groups. The first group received 50 mu g/d of transder mal 17-beta estradiol continuously (group E, n = 23), the second received 3 .32 g/d of an OHC every day (group OHC, n = 23), the third received 50 mu g /d of transdermal 17-beta estradiol continuously plus 3.32 g/d of the OHC e very day (group E-OHC, n = 26), and an additional 24 women were used as unt reated controls (group C). Bone mass, assessed by dual x-ray absorptiometry , was measured prior to and at the end of treat ment. Samples, including se rum calcium, phosphate and osteocalcine level, were collected before therap y and during the 6th and 12th treatment months. RESULTS: All treatment groups showed an increase in bone mineral content. T his increase was higher in the E-OHC group (4.7%, P < .01). Concomitant bio chemical effects at 6 and 12 months were compatible with the observed effec ts on bone mineral. CONCLUSION: The combined regimen of OHC and HRT increased vertebral bone ma ss in postmenopausal women to a greater extent than did OHC or HRT alone, s uggesting that this drug combination may be useful in the management of pos tmenopausal bone loss.