Osteoporosis Prevention After Heart Transplant
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00000412 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : November 4, 1999
Last Update Posted : July 7, 2015
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During the first year after a heart transplant, people often rapidly lose bone from their spine and hips. About 35 percent of people who receive heart transplants will suffer broken bones during the first year after transplantation. This study will compare the safety and effectiveness of the drug alendronate (Fosamax) and the active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) in preventing bone loss at the spine and hip after a heart transplant.
In this study, people who have had a successful heart transplant will receive either active alendronate and a "dummy pill" instead of calcitriol, or active calcitriol and a dummy pill instead of alendronate for the first year after their transplant, starting within 1 month after transplant surgery. We will measure bone density in the hip and spine at the start of the study and after 6 and 12 months, and will also check for broken bones in the spine. This research should lead to ways of preventing this crippling form of osteoporosis.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Osteoporosis Cardiac Transplantation | Drug: Alendronate Drug: Calcitriol Drug: Placebo Alendronate Drug: Placebo Calcitriol | Phase 3 |
We will enroll patients who have undergone cardiac transplantation into a randomized, double-blind, 12-month study of the efficacy and safety of calcitriol (Rocaltrol) and alendronate sodium (Fosamax) in the prevention of bone loss after transplantation. We will give all participants standard pre- and post-transplantation management and immunosuppressive therapy, three tablets of calcium citrate (Citracal + D, each containing 315 mg of elemental calcium and 200 IU of vitamin D), and a multivitamin providing 400 units of vitamin D daily. We will randomize participants to one of two active treatment groups within 1 month of transplantation. We will give Group A active alendronate (10 mg/day) and placebo calcitriol. We will give Group B placebo alendronate and active calcitriol (0.25 micrograms BID). The primary efficacy endpoint is the change in spine bone mineral density (BMD) during the first 6 months after transplantation. The secondary efficacy endpoint is the change in hip BMD during the first year after transplantation. We will also monitor the incidence of vertebral fracture.
We will invite eligible subjects to participate in the study. We will offer patients who elect not to participate in the therapeutic trial the opportunity to have serial BMD measurements at the same intervals as treated subjects and to be followed as untreated controls. We will continue recruitment until we have randomized a total of 146 cardiac transplant recipients. We will perform bone densitometry at randomization (unless performed within the previous month) and at 6 and 12 months. We will obtain radiographs (x-rays) at randomization and will repeat them at 12 months to detect undiagnosed vertebral fractures.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 149 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Prevention |
Official Title: | Prevention of Osteoporosis After Cardiac Transplantation |
Study Start Date : | September 1997 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | April 2002 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | April 2002 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Active Comparator: Group A
Group A active alendronate (10 mg/day) and placebo calcitriol.
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Drug: Alendronate Drug: Placebo Calcitriol |
Placebo Comparator: Group B
We will give Group B placebo alendronate and active calcitriol (0.25 micrograms BID).
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Drug: Calcitriol Drug: Placebo Alendronate |

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 20 Years to 70 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Cardiac transplantation
Exclusion Criteria:
- Active peptic ulcer disease, gastrectomy, inflammatory bowel disease, malignancy, Paget's disease of bone, osteogenesis imperfecta, multiple myeloma, primary hyperparathyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, Cushing's syndrome, or thyrotoxicosis
- Suppressive doses of thyroid hormone, anticonvulsant drugs, past bisphosphonate therapy, current calcitonin therapy, or fluoride therapy
- Cirrhosis, inflammatory liver disease, or nephrolithiasis
- Serum creatinine > 2.5 mg/dl

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00000412
United States, New York | |
Columbai University Medical Center | |
New York, New York, United States, 10032 | |
Columbia University Medical Center | |
New York, New York, United States, 10032 |
Principal Investigator: | Elizabeth Shane, MD | Columbia University Department of Medicine |
Responsible Party: | Columbia University |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00000412 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
R01AR046124 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) R01AR046124 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) NIAMS-008 ( Other Identifier: NIAMS ) |
First Posted: | November 4, 1999 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | July 7, 2015 |
Last Verified: | July 2015 |
Osteoporosis Osteopenia Heart transplant |
Bone fracture Bone density Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry |
Osteoporosis Bone Diseases, Metabolic Bone Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Metabolic Diseases Alendronate Calcitriol Bone Density Conservation Agents |
Physiological Effects of Drugs Calcium-Regulating Hormones and Agents Calcium Channel Agonists Membrane Transport Modulators Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Vasoconstrictor Agents Vitamins Micronutrients |