Review: etidronate decreases vertebral but not nonvertebral fractures in postmenopausal women.

S t u d y s e l e c t i o n Published and unpublished studies were selected if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ≥ 1 year of duration in postmenopausal women; compared etidronate (using the intermittent cyclic method at 400 mg/d for 14 to 20 d, and then using calcium or vitamin D, or both) with placebo, calcium, vitamin D, or calcium plus vitamin D; and evaluated outcomes of fracture reduction, change in bone mineral density (BMD), or toxicity. D a t a e x t r a c t i o n Data were extracted on participants, treatment type and duration, outcomes, method of densitometry, and methodologic quality.