No abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the action of two regimens of intravenous (iv) pamidronate in the primary prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GC-OP). The primary purpose of the study was to determine whether any differences in bone mineral density (BMD) appeared after 1 year. A secondary endpoint aimed at assessing the remodeling parameters in order to better understand the mechanisms of action of the various regimens. Thirty-two patients, who required first-time, long-term glucocorticoid therapy at a daily dose of at least 10 mg of prednisolone, were studied. Simultaneously with the initiation of their glucocorticoid treatment, patients also were randomly allocated to receive a single iv infusion of 90 mg of pamidronate at the start (group A); a first infusion of 90 mg of pamidronate followed, subsequently, by an iv infusion of 30 mg pamidronate every 3 months (group B); and a daily 800-mg elemental calcium supplement given as calcium carbonate (group C), which also was taken by patients in groups A and B. Patients were matched for starting glucocorticoid doses, sex, menopausal status, and hormonal replacement therapy. Lumbar spine and hip (total and subregions) BMDs were measured at the outset and repeated at 6-month intervals by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; Hologic QDR-2000). Bone turnover was assessed by measurement of total and bone-specific serum alkaline phosphatase activity (B-ALP), serum osteocalcin (OC), and serum C-telopeptide cross-links of type I collagen (CTX). After 1 year, the mean BMD changes for groups A, B, and C were, respectively, 1.7, 2.3, and ؊4.6% at the lumbar spine; 1.2, 1.2, and ؊3.1% at the femoral neck; 1.0, 2.6, and ؊2.2% for the total hip region. No difference was observed between pamidronate regimens but a highly significant difference was observed between both pamidronate regimens and the control group at the lumbar spine (p < 0.001), at the femoral neck (p < 0.01), and for the total hip (p < 0.05). A significant decrease of serum C-telopeptide was observed, after 3 months, in groups A and B (p ‫؍‬ 0.029), but a sustained decrease of bone resorption over time was observed only in group B. As far as BMD evolution over 1 year was concerned, iv pamidronate, given either as a single infusion or once every 3 months, effectively achieved primary prevention of GC-OP.

We report three cases of spontaneous healing of aneurysmal bone cysts (ABC). In one case histological material was obtained after resection of the already ossified expansile mass discovered as a lytic lesion seven months previously. In the two other patients, spontaneous ossification of a radiologically presumed ABC in the lytic and expansile phase was observed after nine and seven months respectively. The healed lesions have remained stable at 12, 32, and 36 months respectively. These findings suggest that when the diagnosis can be made with confidence, and the lesion is in a location and at a stage that does not entail any risk of fracture or compression, expectant management should be considered. Our three patients were aged 22, 19 and 18 years, older than usual for developing ABC. This is also true for many of the few other reported cases of spontaneous or almost spontaneous healing and suggests that ABC has a greater tendency to stabilise in older patients.

A 44-year-old man presented with lipoma arborescens of the right shoulder, associated with a rotator cuff tear. MRI revealed villous proliferations with signal intensity of fat on all pulse sequences. At surgery, this bursa was found to contain moderately yellow cloudy fluid without fat globules. Histological examination of the lesion showed subsynovial accumulation of mature fat cells.

The aim of this study was to assess whether early intermittent I.V. administration of disodium pamidronate can effectively achieve primary prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). A total of 27 in- or outpatients who required first-time, long-term corticosteroid therapy at a daily dose of at least 10 mg prednisolone were studied. Patients were randomly selected to receive either pamidronate and calcium or calcium alone. Patients allocated to pamidronate treatment (pamidronate group) received a first intravenous infusion of 90 mg pamidronate simultaneously with the initiation of their steroid treatment. Subsequently, they received 30 mg pamidronate, intravenously, every 3 months, for as long as steroid therapy was continued. As with the control patients (calcium group), they were put on a daily 800-mg elemental calcium supplement given as calcium carbonate. Lumbar spine and hip (total and subregions) bone mineral densities (BMDs) were measured at the start and every 3-months by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic(R) QDR-2000). Over 1 year, the pamidronate group showed a significant BMD increase in the lumbar spine (3.6%), and at all sites of the hip (2.2% at the femoral neck). In the calcium group, a significant BMD reduction was registered at the lumbar spine (-5.3%) and at the femoral neck (-5.3%). Differences between the groups were significant at all sites measured. Intermittent intravenous pamidronate effectively achieves primary prevention of GIOP, as assessed by BMD measurements over 1 year.