Effectiveness of alendronate treatment in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: relationship with BsmI vitamin D receptor genotypes.

Objective: To assess whether there is a relationship between the effectiveness of alendronate treatment in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and BsmI vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes.

Design: Prospective baseline-controlled clinical trial.

Patients: Sixty-eight Italian osteoporotic women were enrolled and treated with alendronate at a dose of 10 mg/day for 12 months.

Association between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and tubular citrate handling in calcium nephrolithiasis.

Objectives: Hypocitraturia is a risk factor for calcium nephrolithiasis. 1,25(OH)2D3 influences renal citrate handling and enhances citraturia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) allelic variant and urinary citrate excretion in recurrent stone formers (SF) patients.

Raloxifene administration in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis: effect of different BsmI vitamin D receptor genotypes.

Background: The vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism has been considered a factor influencing the effectiveness of the anti-osteoporotic treatments. The aim of this study was to correlate the effectiveness of raloxifene treatment in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis to BsmI VDR genotypes.

Methods: Between January and August 2000, 75 Italian osteoporotic women were enrolled and treated with raloxifene at a dose of 60 mg/day.

Clodronate treatment reduces serum levels of interleukin-6 soluble receptor in Paget's disease of bone.

Objective: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its soluble receptor (sIL-6R) stimulate osteoclast formation and activity. The primary cell abnormality in Paget's disease of bone (PDB) involves osteoclasts. Pagetic osteoclasts overproduce IL-6 and IL-6 receptor in vitro.

Past history of nephrolithiasis and incidence of hypertension in men: a reappraisal based on the results of the Olivetti Prospective Heart Study.

Background: We have previously reported that in the Olivetti Prospective Heart Study cohort the incidence of nephrolithiasis was higher in hypertensive participants than in normotensive ones. As the time sequence and the mechanisms underlying the association between nephrolithiasis and hypertension remain controversial, we further tested the hypothesis that in a cohort of normotensive males a history of nephrolithiasis predicts the development of future hypertension.

Methods: The analysis was conducted in 381 male workers at Olivetti who were normotensive at the baseline examination and who were re-examined 8 years later.