CYCLICAL ETIDRONATE INCREASES LUMBAR SPINE BONE-DENSITY IN PATIENTS ON LONG-TERM GLUCOCORTICOSTEROID THERAPY

To determine whether cyclical etidronate modifies bone density in pati ents on chronic glucocorticosteroid therapy, annual bone density measu rements were performed on 55 patients receiving glucocorticosteroids w ho were randomised to either continuous calcium supplementation or cyc lical etidronate plus calcium supplementation in this secondary preven tion study, Median L1-L4 lumbar spine bone density decreased by 0.7% i n the calcium treated group after one year but increased by 3.1% in th e group treated by calcium and etidronate (p=0.00116). Median L1-L4 bo ne density decreased by 2.8% from baseline after two years in the calc ium treated group but increased by 4.7% from baseline in the group tre ated by calcium and etidronate (p=0.04), There were no significant eff ects of treatment on femoral neck density, Cyclical etidronate and cal cium increased lumbar spine bone density in patients established on pr ednisolone treatment over a two-year period but had no effect on femor al density.