Alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in men

Background Despite its association with disability, death, and increased me dical costs, osteoporosis in men has been relatively neglected as a subject of study. There have been no large, controlled trials of treatment in men. Methods In a two-year double-blind trial, we studied the effect of 10 mg of alendronate or placebo, given daily, on bone mineral density in 241 men ( age, 31 to 87 years; mean, 63) with osteoporosis. Approximately one third h ad low serum free testosterone concentrations at base line; the rest had no rmal concentrations. Men with other secondary causes of osteoporosis were e xcluded. All the men received calcium and vitamin D supplements. The main o utcome measures were the percent changes in lumbar-spine, hip, and total-bo dy bone mineral density. Results The men who received alendronate had a mean (+/- SE) increase in bo ne mineral density of 7.1 +/- 0.3 percent at the lumbar spine, 2.5 +/- 0.4 percent at the femoral neck, and 2.0 +/- 0.2 percent for the total body ( P <0.001 for all comparisons with base line). In contrast, men who received p lacebo had an increase in lumbar-spine bone mineral density of 1.8 +/- 0.5 percent (P<0.001 for the comparison with base line) and no significant chan ges in femoral-neck or total-body bone mineral density. The increase in bon e mineral density in the alendronate group was greater than that in the pla cebo group at all measurement sites (P<0.001). The incidence of vertebral f ractures was lower in the alendronate group than in the placebo group (0.8 percent vs. 7.1 percent, P=0.02). Men in the placebo group had a 2.4-mm dec rease in height, as compared with a decrease of 0.6 mm in the alendronate g roup (P=0.02). Alendronate was generally well tolerated. Conclusions In men with osteoporosis, alendronate significantly increases s pine, hip, and total-body bone mineral density and helps prevent vertebral fractures and decreases in height. (N Engl J Med 2000; 343:604-10.) (C) 200 0, Massachusetts Medical Society.