Effects of nandrolone decanoate and antiresorptive therapy on vertebral density in osteoporotic postmenopausal women.

Conventional antiresorptive therapy for osteoporosis can delay bone loss, but secondary inhibition of bone formation appears to prevent an increase in bone density. Recently, anabolic steroid therapy has been shown to increase total body calcium and forearm density in osteoporotic patients, perhaps by causing an increase in bone formation. It is not known if these agents affect vertebral density. We have measured vertebral mineral density in 71 postmenopausal osteoporotic women before and after treatment with either the anabolic steroid nandrolone decanoate or antiresorptive therapy. After a mean treatment period of 14 months, there was a mean increase of 20% in vertebral mineral density in the former group, and no significant change in the latter group. The difference in the time-weighted mean rates of change between the two groups was significant. The results suggest that nandrolone decanoate therapy increases bone formation.