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document
Calcitriol for bone disease in patients with cirrhosis of the liver . BACKGROUND Osteoporosis is associated with cirrhosis of the liver , but the effects of therapy for osteoporosis associated with cirrhosis are still controversial . METHODS We evaluated the effects of calcitriol ( 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 ) on bone mineral density ( BMD ) in 76 patients ( 26 men and 50 women ) with cirrhosis who were assigned randomly to receive calcitriol ( 0.5 mg twice per day ) or not . The BMD of the lumbar vertebrae was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at least twice , 12-57 months apart . RESULTS For men , the mean annual change in BMD was 1.1 % in the treated group and -0.4 % in the control group . The median ( 25th and 75th percentiles ) annual change in BMD was 0.6 ( -0.1 , 2.1 % ) in the treated group and -1.4 ( -1.9 , 1.6 % ) in the control group . The difference in the median annual change between the two groups was significant ( P = 0.013 ) . For women , the mean annual change in BMD was -0.5 % in the treated group and -2.3 % in the control group . The median ( 25th and 75th percentiles ) annual change in BMD was -0.5 ( -1.8 , 1.3 % ) in the treated group and -1.5 ( -3.8 , -0.7 % ) in the control group . This difference was significant ( P = 0.011 ) . CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that calcitriol can prevent bone loss and , therefore , may be useful for the treatment of bone disease in patients with cirrhosis of the liver .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Calcitriol
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Intervention_Pharmacological
calcitriol ( 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 )
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Intervention_Pharmacological
calcitriol
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Intervention_Physical
measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at least twice , 12-57 months apart
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Outcome_Physical
osteoporosis
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Outcome_Other
effects
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Outcome_Physical
bone mineral density ( BMD )
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Outcome_Physical
BMD of the lumbar vertebrae
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Outcome_Physical
dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
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Outcome_Physical
change in BMD
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Outcome_Physical
annual change in BMD
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Outcome_Physical
change in BMD
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Outcome_Physical
BMD
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Outcome_Physical
bone loss
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Participant_Condition
patients with cirrhosis of the liver .
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Participant_Sample-size
76 patients
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Participant_Sample-size
26
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Participant_Sex
men
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Participant_Sample-size
50
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Participant_Sex
women
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Participant_Sex
men
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Participant_Sample-size
two groups
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Participant_Sex
women
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Participant_Condition
patients with cirrhosis of the liver