Effect of calcitriol on bone mineral density (BMD) in Chinese premenopausal women on chronic steroid therapy

Abstract

The effect of chronic steroid therapy on BMD in premenopausal women with normal menstrual cycles and its treatment was evaluated in 81 lupus patients. They were randomly allocated to three groups: 1: 0.5mg calcitriol and 1200mg calcium daily, 2: 1200mg calcium and placebo calcitriol and 3: placebo. Baseline T-score at the lumbar spine was > ±1 in 56.8% and 5±2.5 in 3.7% of the patients. At the end of two years, patients in the calcitriol group exhibited a significant increase of 2.1 2.4% in the BMD at the lumbar spine when compared to baseline value (p<0.05). However this change was not significantly different from the respective change in either the calcium (0.4 2.9%) or the placebo group (0.3 3.5%). No significant changes were observed in any of the treatment groups in the BMD at the hip or at the radius. Alkaline phophatase remained stable in the calcitriol group but increased in both the calcium and placebo group. In conclusion, the beneficial effect of calcitriol treatment in these premenopausal women was small, at least when it was instituted late in the course of steroid therapy.