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R Lindsay

Publications and source records attributed to R Lindsay.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

On the mechanism of cancellous bone preservation in postmenopausal women with mild primary hyperparathyroidism.

Several studies have demonstrated that cancellous bone mass and architecture are preserved in postmenopausal women with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). To investigate the mechanism(s) that could account for this observation, we analyzed features of bone formation in 19 postmenopausal women with PHPT by bone histomorphometry. The results were compared with those from a comparable group of 34 healthy, postmenopausal women. Patients with PHPT were similar to control subjects in cancellous bone area as well as in trabecular width, separation, and number. However, in PHPT, elevations were observed in indexes of bone turnover, such as eroded surface, osteoid surface, mineralizing surface, bone formation rate at the tissue level, and activation frequency. At the level of the bone-remodeling unit, women with PHPT had significantly higher values for the wall width of trabecular bone packets (40.26 +/- 0.36 vs. 34.58 +/- 0.45 mm), the adjusted apposition rate (0.40 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.29 +/- 0.03 mm/day), and the active formation period (67.8 +/- 5.1 vs. 57.3 +/- 2.3 days). These findings are consistent with a stimulatory action of elevated PTH levels on the duration of the active bone formation phase in individual remodeling units and may account at least in part for the preservation of cancellous bone in postmenopausal women with mild PHPT.

Bone Density↗

Addition of alendronate to ongoing hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Alendronate and estrogen are effective therapies for postmenopausal osteoporosis, but their efficacy and safety as combined therapy are unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the addition of alendronate to ongoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. A total of 428 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, who had been receiving HRT for at least 1 yr, were randomized to receive either alendronate (10 mg/day) or placebo. HRT was continued in both groups. Changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone turnover were assessed. Compared with HRT alone, at 12 months, alendronate plus HRT produced significantly greater increases in BMD of the lumbar spine (3.6% vs. 1.0%, P < 0.001) and hip trochanter (2.7% vs. 0.5%, P < 0.001); however, the between-group difference in BMD at the femoral neck was not significant (1.7% vs. 0.8%, P = 0.072). Biochemical markers of bone turnover (serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and urine N-telopeptide) decreased significantly at 6 and 12 months with alendronate plus HRT, and they remained within premenopausal levels. Addition of alendronate to ongoing HRT was generally well tolerated, with no significant between-group differences in upper gastrointestinal adverse events or fractures. This study demonstrated that, in postmenopausal women with low bone density despite ongoing treatment with estrogen, alendronate added to HRT significantly increased bone mass at both spine and hip trochanter and was generally well tolerated.

Adult↗

Practical clinical application of biochemical markers of bone turnover: Consensus of an expert panel.

Biochemical markers of bone turnover have emerged as powerful tools to aid in managing osteoporosis. The newer bone markers have been intensively studied for more than a decade. As a result, we can now confidently report their clinical utility in assessing risk of rapid bone loss and fracture, and monitoring therapy in postmenopausal women with or at risk of osteoporosis. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive foundation for this utility. While there are still questions remaining to be answered, bone marker technology has matured to play an essential role in patient management. We will describe, in practical terms, how bone markers can be appropriately incorporated into clinical practice today.

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The lack of effect of progestogen on bone.

Several critical issues surround the possible effects of progestogens in postmenopausal women. No comparative studies of the effects of estrogen and progestogens on bone loss have been conducted to date, but a review of the available evidence suggests that endogenous progesterone has little effect on endometrial secretory homeostasis. The evidence also suggests that when used alone at normally prescribed dosages, progestogens have neither a direct effect on osteoporosis nor an additive effect when used as a component of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The positive effects of HRT on bone seen in postmenopausal women are more likely a direct result of the estrogen component.

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Comparative assessment of bone mineral measurements using dual X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography.

A measurement of bone mass is the single most important determinant of future fracture. However, controversy exists as to which technique (dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), and which site of skeletal measurement (axial vs appendicular) provides the best prediction of fracture risk. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine the ability of pQCT to predict bone mass of the lumbar spine, proximal femur, and distal forearm measured using DXA, and (2) to compare the ability of DXA and pQCT to discriminate prevalent fractures in women with established osteoporosis. One hundred and sixty-five women were studied, including 47 with established osteoporosis (vertebral, hip or Colles' fractures) as well as 118 who had bone mass measurements to assess osteoporosis risk. Each subject had bone mass measured by DXA at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, and at the distal radius by both DXA and pQCT. In women with fractures, bone mass, when expressed as a standardized score, was in general lower using DXA compared with the appendicular skeleton measured using pQCT. Bone mass determinations at all sites were significantly correlated with each other. The highest correlation coefficients were observed within the axial skeleton. In women with fractures, the highest odds ratios were observed at skeletal regions measured using DXA. Likewise, the areas under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were comparable at all skeletal regions measured using DXA; and were significantly greater than the areas under the ROC curves for pQCT measurements. In summary, the strongest discriminators of prevalent fractures were measurements using DXA. Measurements of bone mass at the appendicular skeleton, using either DXA or pQCT, were poorly associated with axial bone mass. PQCT has the poorer ability to discriminate persons with fractures, and appears to be less sensitive than measurements using DXA.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Updated data on proximal femur bone mineral levels of US adults.

This paper describes data on bone mineral levels in the proximal femur of US adults based on the nationally representative sample examined during both phases of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988-94), and updates data previously presented from phase 1 only. The data were collected from 14,646 men and women aged 20 years and older using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and included bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and area of bone scanned in four selected regions of interest (ROI) in the proximal femur: femur neck, trochanter, intertrochanter and total. These variables are provided separately by age and sex for non-Hispanic whites (NHW), non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) and Mexican Americans (MA). NHW in the southern United States had slightly lower BMD levels than NHW in other US regions, but these differences were not sufficiently large to prevent pooling of the data. The updated data provide valuable reference data on femur bone mineral levels of noninstitutionalized adults. The updated data on BMD for the total femur ROI of NHW have been selected as the reference database for femur standardization efforts by the International Committee on Standards in Bone Measurements.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Is parathyroid hormone a therapeutic option for osteoporosis? A review of the clinical evidence.

Most of the data on the anabolic effect of PTH have been obtained with hPTH(1-34). Studies have shown a marked increment in spinal bone mass. Most recently we have shown that PTH and estrogen can be given together where there is increased total bone mineral and no loss of bone at any skeletal site. We have also shown the first reduction in vertebral deformity incidence due to PTH treatment.

Animals↗

The use of the mini-mental status examination in the ED evaluation of the elderly.

This study was done to examine the impact of the mini-mental status examination (MMSE) in the emergency department (ED) evaluation of the elderly patient. The study was a prospective study of the MMSE applied by the investigators with a comparison to the findings of the treating physician, in a university hospital ED with annual volume of 60,000. Participants were a convenience sample of patients older than 65 years of age without apparent mental status abnormality presenting to the ED. Seventy-four patients were entered in the study with 43 exclusions (23 with low educational level, 5 with Glasgow Coma Scale score of <15, and 15 other) leaving 31 cases for analysis. Of the 31 patients, 20 patients had an MMSE score of <24. The MMSE findings agreed with the treating physicians' assessments in 21 (67%) cases. Disagreement occurred in 10 (32%) cases in which the treating physician believed that both the patient's mental status and results of the investigator's MMSE were normal; these 10 cases all involved low MMSE scores as performed by the investigator. When informed of the abnormal MMSE, both the physician's estimate of the patient's mental status and the patient's ED course were altered in all cases. These results show that the MMSE is a valuable screening tool to assess the mental status of the elderly in the ED setting. Unexpected abnormality was noted in a significant minority of patients in this study, altering the patient's course in all instances. The MMSE should be considered in evaluation of all geriatric patients encountered in the ED.

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The role of estrogen in the prevention of osteoporosis.

This article reviews the role and pathophysiology of estrogen in bone remodeling. The effects of estrogen intervention on bone mass and biochemical markers are discussed as well as aspects such as dose versus response, route of administration, and interactions with other agents.

Bone Density↗

Calcium potentiates the effect of estrogen and calcitonin on bone mass: review and analysis.

We reviewed published clinical trials that measured bone mass of postmenopausal women from at least one skeletal site to evaluate whether calcium supplementation influenced the efficacy of estrogens and intranasal calcitonin on bone mass change. We compared results of the administration of oral estrogen or nasal calcitonin in conjuction with additional calcium intake either through diet or supplements compared with those of estrogen or calcitonin alone. Of the 31 published estrogen trials analyzed, 20 modified the diet or used a calcium supplement (total 1183 mg/d) and 11 did not (total 563 mg/d). The mean increase in bone mass of the lumbar spine when estrogen was given alone was 1.3%/y (n = 5) compared with 3.3%/y when estrogen was given in conjunction with calcium (n = 14; P = 0.01). The mean increase in bone mass of the femoral neck with estrogen alone (n = 3) was only 0.9%/y compared with 2.4%/y when calcium was given with estrogen (n = 6; P = 0.04). Similarly, forearm bone mass increased 0.4%/y with estrogen alone (n = 7) compared with 2.1%/y when estrogen was given with calcium (n = 12; P = 0.04). Similar results were found when weighted means were calculated. Of the seven published trials evaluating the effects of 200 IU nasal salmon calcitonin, six also used calcium supplements (total 1466 mg/d) whereas one used calcitonin alone (total 627 mg/d). Bone mass of the lumbar spine increased 2.1% with calcitonin plus calcium supplementation compared with -0.2%/y with calcitonin alone. These results suggest that a high calcium intake potentiates the positive effect of estrogen on bone mass at all skeletal sites and perhaps that of calcitonin on bone mass of the spine.

Bone Density↗

Descriptors of corneal shape.

With the advent of videokeratoscopy and similar technology, we are now provided with more information about corneal contour than ever before. One of the common problems in this area is which parameters should be used to quantify the corneal shape. From the time of Helmholtz, the ellipse has been used as a first-order approximation for the normal corneal profile, and in the optometric literature one or another of the conic shape parameters p, Q, or e have been used to describe the general shape of the corneal surface. The purpose of this technical note is to clarify the relationships between these various descriptors of corneal shape.

Cornea↗

Parathyroid responsivity in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis during treatment with parathyroid hormone.

Endocrine systems may be affected permanently by administration of supraphysiologic doses of hormone. This is a well known complication of glucocorticoid treatment where the pituitary/adrenal axis may never fully recover, especially when large doses of steroids are needed during significant physical stress. The goal of this investigation was to determine whether responsivity of the parathyroid gland was normal after use of (1-34)PTH daily as an investigational therapy for osteoporosis. Patients were all postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with estrogen and enrolled in a 3-yr trial of (1-34)PTH by daily subcutaneous injection (400 IU/day) in addition to their estrogen therapy. A volunteer subgroup (n = 10) of this population was recruited for this investigation. All patients had an EDTA-provoked hypocalcemic challenge before beginning PTH treatment. The same patients had repeat EDTA-challenge tests at various times during the 3-yr PTH treatment trial. Three patients had 2 infusions while on PTH treatment (interim and at the end of 3 yr). Ionized calcium declined identically before and during PTH treatment in response to the EDTA stimulus. PTH(1-84) responses were identical before and during PTH therapy. Furthermore, there were no differences in 1,25(OH)2D elevation or in phosphorus reduction over the course of the EDTA infusion during daily PTH treatment. Osteocalcin levels were higher during PTH treatment, as expected, but responsivity to acute endogenous PTH elevations was the same after PTH treatment. We conclude that 1-34PTH therapy, at 400 IU/day for up to 3 yr, does not suppress parathyroid responsivity and should therefore (at least within this period of treatment) have no permanent adverse effect on the ability of the body to maintain calcium homeostasis. Additionally, there is no difference in target organ responsivity to acute endogenous elevations of PTH after exogenous PTH therapy.

Adult↗

Fracture history and bone loss in patients with MS.

OBJECTIVES: We have previously shown that MS patients have significantly reduced bone mass and a high prevalence of abnormal vitamin D status. The object of this study was to characterize the frequency of adulthood fractures in MS patients, prospectively determine rates of bone loss in MS, and determine whether vitamin D status is a predictor of bone loss. METHODS: MS patients (36 women, 18 men) were compared with age- and gender-matched healthy controls (35 women, 14 men). Bone mass was performed by dual x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and at 12-month intervals over 2 years. RESULTS: Fractures in the absence of major trauma had occurred in 2% of controls and 22% of MS patients (p < 0.002). Over the 2 years of prospective follow-up, both women and men with MS lost substantially more bone in the femoral neck than did controls (3% and 6% per year in pre- and postmenopausal women with MS versus 0.5% and 0.8% per year in controls; 7.3% per year in men with MS versus 1.6% per year in controls). Bone loss in the spine was also greater in women with MS than in controls (1.6 to 3.5% per year loss in MS patients versus no change in controls). Duration of steroid treatment beyond 5 months and ambulatory status were both predictors of bone loss. Bone loss in the spine occurred faster in MS patients with low (<20 ng/mL) 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (1.9% per year, p < 0.04), whereas in those with normal 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, bone loss was insignificant. At the femoral neck, bone loss was substantial in all patients, but was somewhat faster in the group with low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (5.6% per year, p < 0.0001) compared with the group with high levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (4.3% per year, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: MS patients have more frequent fractures and lose bone mass more rapidly than do their healthy age- and gender-matched peers, in part related to insufficient vitamin D. Vitamin D repletion in MS patients who are deficient might reduce, to some extent, the rate of bone loss and decrease osteoporosis-related fractures.

Adult↗

Human osteoclast formation and activity in vitro: effects of alendronate.

Recent advances in technique have made it possible to study human osteoclast (OC) formation and activity in vitro. The object of the present study was to determine the effects of alendronate (ALN) on human OCs generated from precursors obtained from standard peripheral blood samples. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 14 postmenopausal women were cocultured with ST2 stromal cells on bone slices in the presence of 10(-7) M 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 10(-8) M dexamethasone, and 25 ng/ml human macrophage colony-stimulating factor. After 21 days, the cultures contained numerous OCs, which were characterized by multinuclearity, the presence of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, calcitonin and vitronectin receptors, and the ability to resorb substantial amounts of bone, which was inhibited by calcitonin. The percentage area of bone resorbed per slice was highly correlated (r = 0.89, p < 0.001) with the concentration of Type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptides (CTx) released into the culture medium. When added to the medium, ALN inhibited bone resorption at concentrations < or =10(-7) M. At 10(-7) M, inhibition was achieved primarily by a reduction in OC activity without a marked effect on OC number. At the highest concentration studied (10(-5) M), both OC number and resorption were profoundly decreased. Overnight preincubation of bone slices in ALN, without further exposure to ALN, resulted in an inhibition of resorption that was similar to that seen when ALN was present in the medium throughout the entire culture period. We conclude that, except at very high concentrations, the predominant mechanism of action of ALN is to inhibit the activity of differentiated human OCs with little or no effect on recruitment. Interaction between the OC and ALN on the bone surface is an important component of the inhibitory mechanism. Measurement of CTx in tissue culture medium is a convenient method for assessment of bone resorption in human OC cultures and offers a number of advantages over morphometric analysis of the bone slice.

Aged↗

Accretion of bone mass and strength with parathyroid hormone prior to the onset of estrogen deficiency can provide temporary beneficial effects in skeletally mature rats.

Intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone (PTH) has been shown to be an anabolic agent for animal and human skeletons. In previous studies, PTH has been used concurrent with, or subsequent to, the onset of bone loss. However, it is entirely possible that PTH may be used as an anabolic agent in a situation where there is stable skeletal remodeling. Increasing bone mass at this time might confer long-lasting beneficial effects when bone loss begins, for example, subsequent to the loss of ovarian function. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of administering rat PTH(1-34) (80 microg/kg/day, subcutaneously [s.c.]) to 6-month-old rats for a 2-week period prior to ovariectomy, and followed the natural occurrence of bone loss over a 14-week period. To determine the effects of estrogen intervention on bone gained by PTH treatment, one group was repleted with 17beta-estradiol (10 microg/kg/day via s.c. implant). Serial measurements of bone mass in vivo at the distal femur were obtained at 2-week intervals using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, while histologic and mechanical strength data were obtained from excised proximal tibiae and distal femurs after sacrifice. Two weeks of PTH treatment resulted in an increase of bone mineral density (BMD), mechanical strength, and cancellous bone volume (CnBV/TV). Four weeks after PTH withdrawal, significant residual beneficial effects on BMD and strength, irrespective of ovarian status, were observed. However, 14 weeks after PTH withdrawal, although there were still residual effects on CnBV/TV in ovariectomized animals pretreated with PTH, the PTH effects on BMD and mechanical strength had been lost. Estradiol repletion during the rapid bone loss phase following ovariectomy prevented the reduction in BMD associated with either ovariectomy or PTH withdrawal. Our results suggest that: treatment of rats with PTH prior to ovariectomy produces an increase in BMD and strength, these beneficial effects extend for a period of at least three times the treatment duration, the BMD that is lost when PTH is discontinued equates to the amount accrued during the PTH treatment, estrogen replacement can be used to maintain the bone gained as a result of PTH treatment.

Animals↗

Alendronate does not block the anabolic effect of PTH in postmenopausal osteoporotic women.

In rodent osteoporosis models, anabolic activity of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is preserved in the presence of antiresorptive agents. Anabolic activity is also preserved when PTH is administered to estrogenized postmenopausal women. In contrast, in the ewe treated with tiludronate, PTH-induced stimulation of bone turnover did not occur. To determine whether PTH in combination with alendronate could be a viable treatment for osteoporosis, we performed a short-term study of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (n = 10) already on alendronate 10 mg/day to determine whether PTH could increase bone formation assessed biochemically. Patients continued alendronate alone (n = 5) or continued alendronate with 400 IU/day subcutaneous human PTH (1-34) added for 6 weeks. Subjects receiving PTH had serum and urine sampling weekly during PTH treatment and for 5 weeks thereafter. Sampling was performed approximately biweekly for subjects who had been on alendronate alone for 11 weeks. Samples were analyzed for osteocalcin (OC), propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP), cross-linked urinary N-telopeptide (NTX), and free urinary pyridinoline (PYD). Markers of bone formation increased within 3 weeks in the PTH plus alendronate group, with mean peak levels at 5-7 weeks: OC 49%, p < 0.01; PICP 61%, p < 0.01; and BSAP 24%, p = 0.12. Levels returned to baseline after discontinuing PTH, with PICP declining the most rapidly. There were no significant changes at any time in the alendronate alone group. There were no increments in either urinary NTX or PYD in either treatment group throughout the observation period. The bone turnover marker changes seen with PTH plus alendronate were similar to those seen with PTH plus hormone replacement. These data suggest that: PTH can stimulate bone formation, evidenced by elevations of bone formation markers, even in the presence of a potent bisphosphonate; in the presence of alendronate, PTH-stimulated bone formation precedes stimulation of bone resorption, suggesting that PTH stimulates bone formation de novo; and the combination of PTH and alendronate may be a viable treatment option for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Aged↗