Effects of 3 Years of Treatment with a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis on Markers of Bone Turnover and Bone Mineral Density

Takashi NAGAI, Keizo SAKAMOTO, Akihiro MATSUNAGA, Koji ISHIKAWA, Emi SAITO, Katsunori INAGAKI
2012 The Showa University Journal of Medical Sciences  
Aim : The aim of the present study was to assess the changes in bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in long-term SERM. Methods : The study was performed on 25 female outpatients with primary osteoporosis treated at the Osteoporosis Department of Showa University School of Medicine. All patients had been on raloxifene 60 mg/day for ≥ 3 years. The mean patient age was 67.1 years and the women were, on average, 18.4 years postmenopausal. Levels of bone turnover markers urinary
more » ... NTX and bone-speci c alkaline phosphatase BAP and bone mineral density BMD ; front lumbar vertebrae, three proximal femur sites, and two distal radius sites were determined before and then annually after starting raloxifene for a period of 3 years. Results : Over the 3-year treatment period, signi cant decreases were seen in both urinary NTX and BAP levels. Although BMD of the lumbar vertebrae and distal radius was increased over the 3 years after initiation of raloxifene treatment, the difference failed to reach statistical signicance. The BMD of the femoral neck decreased, whereas that of the femoral trochanter and femoral intertrochanter area increased. Conclusions : The selective estrogen receptor modulator raloxifene is suitable for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal patients because it reduces bone turnover while maintaining adequate bone density.
doi:10.15369/sujms.24.301 fatcat:o7mbt5oembfp5bnodhmn2r2miu