RESUMO
AIM: To study effects of calcium (1000 mg/day) and vitamin D3 (Calcium-D3 Nikomed, 400 IN/day) in the treatment of steroid osteoporosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Calcium-D3 Nikomed was used in combined treatment of 20 patients with hormone-dependent bronchial asthma (BA) receiving glucocorticoid tablets in daily dose 5-40 mg (prednisolone calculation), mean dose 20.4 mg. Density of bone tissue was measured by CT of the lumbar spine (L2-L4), concentrations of osteocalcine and 25 (OH) vitamin D3--by radioimmunoassay, serum and 24-h urine calcium--by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry and selective ionometry. RESULTS: Calcium-D3 Nikomed intake for 6 months (2 tablets a day) resulted in decline of ossalgia, inhibition of bone tissue density loss, elevation of D3 vitamin 25 (OH) concentration in blood serum. Concentrations of osteocalcine, blood and 24-h urine calcium were close to the baseline. Therapeutic effect of physiological doses of vitamin D3 may be due to normalization of cholecalcipherol metabolism, activation of calcium intestinal absorption and suppression of bone resorption entailed by long-term administration of glucocorticoid tablets. CONCLUSION: High clinical efficiency and absence of side effects recommend calcium-D3 Nikomed for management of steroid osteoporosis in patients with hormone-dependent bronchial asthma.
