Daily and Cyclic Parathyroid Hormone in Women Receiving Alendronate

Abstract

This study suggests that a regimen of three-month cycles of parathyroid hormone alternating with three-month cycles without parathyroid hormone causes the early phase of action of parathyroid hormone (characterized by pure stimulation of bone formation) to be dissociated from the later phase (activation of bone remodeling). The early phase may be more important to the increase in spinal bone mineral density. In patients with persistent osteoporosis after prior alendronate treatment, both daily treatment and cyclic treatment with parathyroid hormone increase spinal bone mineral density.