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This section of www.drharper.ca will be devoted to recent news and medical research relevant to patients with Diabetes mellitus and other disorders of endocrinology and metabolism.

September, 2003

Combining parathyroid hormone (PTH, a bone formation agent) with the bisphosphonate alendronate (an inhibitor of bone resorption) does NOT lead to improved bone mineral density in people with osteoporosis.  Recent studies in both men and women with osteoporosis show that alendronate inhibits the bone formation activity of PTH and that these agents probably should not be taken together as parathyroid hormone seems to work better alone.  These results were somewhat unexpected as it was long believed that combining PTH with an anti-resorptive bisphosphonate would have additive or even synergistic effects on improving bone density in those with osteoporosis.