Parathyroid Hormone Treatment Can Reverse Corticosteroid-induced Osteoporosis Results of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis is the most common secondary cause of osteoporosis. We conducted a 12-mo, randomized clinical trial of human parathyroid hormone 1-34 (hPTH 1-34) in postmenopausal women (mean age was 63 yr) with osteoporosis who were taking corticosteroids and hormone replacement therapy. Response to the treatment was assessed with bone mineral density (BMD) measure-ments of the lumbar spine by quantitative computed tomog-raphy (QCT); BMD measurements of the lumbar spine, hip, and forearm by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA); and biochemical markers of bone turnover. The mea