[Oestrogen therapy of osteoporosis (author's transl)]

Twenty women with physiological (11) or post-operative (9) lack of oestrogen and progesterone developed progressively painful decalcifying osteosis. Improvement was obtained (after eliminating all contra-indications) by treatment with an oestrogen (17-bêta oestradiol-14 times) associated with a progesterone (14 times ) and increased calcium and phosphates (11 times). Clinical improvement was still present after a period varying from 6 to 36 months, with disappearance of the pain symptoms in 7 cases, and very great improvement in 9 cases. After 6 months of treatment there was also a significant reduction in the biological signs of bone resorption (blood phosphorus levels, calcium-creatinine ratio in morning urine specimens taken after fasting, total calcium in a 24-hour urine specimen). The improvement noted, both clinically and biologically, confirms the effect of oestrogens in reducing bone resorption, underlines their preventive and also curative action, and makes them suitable for use in decalcifying osteosis due to hormone lack, after eliminating all contra-indications and under strict regular supervision (breasts and endometrium).