San Francisco, Calif. (June 21, 2002) New research presented at the 84th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society in San Francisco shows that trabecular architecture -- the structural network inside bone -- can deteriorate in just one year in early postmenopausal women. This is an important new finding as the loss of trabecular architecture occurred despite the fact that these women had only modest bone mineral density (BMD) loss. In the same study Actonel (risedronate sodium tablets) was shown to protect the trabecular microarchitecture of bone in early postmenopausal women at one year and to increase BMD.

Data were presented this week from a study that included women within six months to five years after menopause who received treatment with Actonel 5 mg or placebo daily for 1 year. Calcium supplementation was not provided to patients in the study. Analysis of iliac crest biopsy samples showed that after only one year, women in the placebo group (n=12) had already experienced significant deterioration in the microarchitecture of trabecular bone -- despite an only modest loss in lumbar spine BMD (-3.3 per cent). Over the same period, trabecular bone microarchitecture was maintained in women who received Actonel (n=14). These patients also saw a gain in lumbar spine BMD (2.1per cent).

"Osteoporosis has been defined as a skeletal disease characterized by a combination of low BMD and bone microarchitectural alterations that are responsible for increased skeletal fragility," said Robert Lindsay, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of Internal Medicine at Helen Hayes Hospital, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Columbia University. "While BMD plays an important role in the diagnosis of osteoporosis, not all of the effects of bisphosphonates can be explained by increases in BMD. Protection of bone microarchitecture may play an important role in bone health." Recent publications suggest that BMD increases explain less than one-third of the observed fracture reduction
'"/>

Contact: Julie McQuain
jmprmedia@aol.com
212-477-0472
JMPR Associates, Inc.
21-Jun-2002

Page: 1 2 3
Related medicine news :

1. Moving admitted ER patients into inpatient beds faster could significantly increase hospital revenue
2. Gastrointestinal disorders are associated significantly with sleepless nights
3. Landmark survey reveals asthma in children remains significantly out of control in the United States
4. Data suggest ADDERALL XR significantly improved simulated driving in young adults with ADHD
5. Elderly cancer patients are significantly under-represented in cancer clinical trials
6. Generic anti-inflammatory causes significantly fewer GI complications than branded medications
7. Study shows weight-based REBETOL dosing in combination with PEG-INTRON significantly improves ...
8. Radiotherapy + cetuximab significantly improve disease control and survival in head and neck cancer
9. New data show SPIRIVA significantly reduces COPD exacerbations and related health resource burden
10. GSKS Requip(R) (ropinirole HCl) significantly reduces periodic leg movements in patients with RLS
11. Two landmark studies show Taxotere (R) significantly improves survival in men with prostate cancer