Fall Prevention and Anti‐Osteoporosis in Osteopenia Patients of 80 Years of Age and Older: A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective To evaluate the effects of two fall‐prevention and anti‐osteoporotic protocols in elderly patients with osteopenia (OPA). Methods The present randomized controlled study included patients with OPA (n =123). The age of these patients was ≥80 years old, with the mean age of 83.54 ± 2.99 years, and the male‐to‐female ratio was 2.97:1.00. Fall‐prevention guidance was given to all patients. Patients in the experiment group (n = 62) orally received 600 mg/d of calcium carbonate, 0.5 μg/d of alfacalcidol, and 70 mg/week of alendronate, while patients in the control group (n = 61) orally received 600 mg/d of calcium carbonate and 0.5 μg/d of alfacalcidol for 18 months. The grip strength, gait speed, bone turnover markers, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and bone mineral density were measured, and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and the chair rising test (CRT) were performed. Falls, fragility fractures, medication compliance, and side effects of the drugs were recorded. Results The serum levels of bone turnover markers (type I procollagen amino‐terminal peptide [P1NP], type I collagen carboxyl terminal peptide [β‐CTx], and osteocalcin [OC]) decreased, while the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and bilateral femoral neck increased after treatment in the experiment group (P