TREATMENT OF SENILE OSTEOPOROSIS

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The purpose of this request is to aid the development of the candidate as an independent clinical investigator and teacher of geriatrics. The necessary skills of clinical investigation will be developed while under the close supervision of a senior investigator and his group. The candidate will develop expertise in osteoporosis research and clinical trials involving older persons. The major project will be to carry out a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial for the treatment of osteoporosis. The aim of the study is to ascertain the value of a novel pharmacologic approach in the treatment of elderly individuals with osteoporosis. More specifically, the candidate will investigate the efficacy of supplemental calcium in the form of calcium citrate, and fluoride in the form of slow release sodium fluoride in augmenting trabecular bone mass in women over the age of 65 years while preserving cortical bone. Subjects will be randomized into two groups. Patients in Group A will receive slow release sodium fluoride and calcium citrate. Patients in Group B will receive placebo and calcium citrate. Important outcome measures include bone density, fracture rate, functional status, and adverse effects. Additional areas of investigation include the characterization and treatment of osteoporosis in Werner's Syndrome and the pathophysiology of osteoporosis in the elderly. Teaching objectives include the continued development of an academic nursing home for medical student and resident training. Ultimately, the candidate will help develop and institute a geriatrics curriculum spanning undergraduate and graduate levels. The University, Parkland Memorial Hospital, and the Dallas Home for the Jewish Aged provide clinical settings that reflect a representative population of the elderly, that is, men and women of a wide racial, and socioeconomic background. This environment serves as an ideal setting for teaching and conducting aging research.