The Clinical and Metabolic Effects of Calcitriol in the Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disease of bone whose management is controversial. To evalu­ ate the efficacy and safety of calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin DJ in postmenopausal osteoporosis, this pros­ pective, randomized, one-year clinical trial was planned. Seventy patients aged between 45-69 years were ran­ domly assigned to receive either calcitriol (0.25gr twice daily) or supplemental calcium (1gr/day) for one ye­ ar. Lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) values, pain intensity and disability measure scores and bone turnover markers J$erum osteocalcin and urinary hydoxyproline levels) were used as outco­ me parameters of treatment.