[Therapy of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis with alfacalcidol/calcium and vitamin D/calcium].

Calcium/vitamin D supplementation is generally used as a first step treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). The aim of this trial was to compare the efficacy of the D-hormone alfacalcidol with plain vitamin D in patients with established GIOP with or without vertebral fractures. Patients on long-term glucocorticoid-therapy were treated either with 1 microgram alfacalcidol plus 5000 mg calcium (group A: n = 43) or with 1000 IU vitamin D plus 500 mg calcium (group B: n = 42). The two groups were not different in respect to initial characteristics such as age, sex distribution, concomittant diseases, bone mineral density (mean T-score values at lumbar spine and femoral neck: -3.29 and -3.25 resp.), and in the number of prevalent vertebral and non-vertebral fractures. During the 3 years of treatment we found a significant increase in lumbar spine density in group A (+2.0%, p < 0.0001), while no significant changes could be documented in group B at both measuring sites. After 3 years 12 new vertebral fractures had occurred in 10 patients of group A and 21 in 17 patients in group B (ns). Correspondingly we registered a significant decrease of back pain only in group A (p < 0.0001). We conclude that alfacalcidol treatment in superior to plain vitamin D in GIOP.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes