No presente estudo foi realizada uma análise retrospectiva de 24 pacientes com osteoporose estabelecida, com 10 ou mais anos de menopausa, tratadas com estrogênio conjugado, progesterona e cálcio, seguidas por um ano. As mulheres tratadas receberam 0,625mg/dia de estrogênio conjugado do 1º ao 259 dia, 5mg/dia de medroxiprogesterona do 13º ao 25º dia, de cada ciclo, e cálcio (500 a 1000mg/dia), durante um ano (12 ciclos). Como grupo controle foram estudadas 18 mulheres pareadas para idade, peso, altura e anos de menopausa, que receberam apenas cálcio (500 a 1000mg/dia). Todas as pacientes tinham pelo menos duas medidas da densidade óssea na coluna e região proximal do fêmur (colo, triângulo de Ward e trocanter), feitas antes e após um ano. O tratamento com estrogênio foi associado com aumento da densidade óssea na coluna e trocanter. O grupo controle não apresentou qualquer mudança estatisticamente significante após um ano, em nenhum dos locais avaliados. Nós concluímos que, mulheres com osteoporose estabelecida, tratadas com terapia de reposição hormonal e cálcio, mesmo quando iniciada com 10 ou mais anos após a menopausa apresentam aumento da densidade óssea. Estes dados comprovam que mulheres com 10 ou mais anos de menopausa respondem á hormonioterapia com aumento absoluto da densidade óssea de forma semelhante à observada em mulheres mais jovens, nos primeiros anos de menopausa.

A retrospective analysis of 24 patients with established osteoporosis and with ten or more years of menopause treated with conjugated estrogen, progesterone and calcium followed for one year has been performed. Treated women received 0.625 mg/day of conjugated estrogen from day 1 to 25, 5 mg/day of medroxiprogesterone from day 13 to 25, of each cycle, plus calcium (500 - 1000 mg/day), during one year (12 cycles). As control group was used 18 age-matched that received only calcium (500 a 1000 mg/day). All patients had at least two dual-photon spine and proximal femur (neck, Ward's triangle and trocanter) densities measurements performed 12 months apart. Estrogen treatment was associated with increased bone mineral density at spine and trocanter. Control group did not present any statistically change after one year in any site studied. We concluded that women with ten or more years of menopause and established osteoporosis treated with replacement hormonal therapy and calcium results in improvement of bone mineral density. These data support that women with ten or more years of menopause respond to estrogen replacement therapy with absolute increments in bone density similar to those seen in younger women, in the early menopause.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common painful inflammatory condition occurring mainly in the later half of life. Hipe and knee are the joints mostly affected. Petiveria alliacea (tipi) popularly known as an anti-rheumatic medicine, has been used by OA patients to relief pain. This one-week cross-over double-blind trial has preliminary evaluated the analgesic effect of tipi tea in 14 patients with hip and knee OA. Imperata exaltata (sape) was used as the Placebo tea. The pain assessments that were made at baseline and before the start of the second treatment period by treatment groups were comparable. While taking tipi or placebo tea patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in pain on motion and pain at night. The comparison between the improvements reported while on tipi and placebo tea, however, did not disclose any statistically significant difference. At the conclusion of the study 7 patients preferred tipi tea and 6 preferred placebo tea (NS). Two patients reported insomnia, one durign placebo treatment and the other during tipi treatment. In this preliminary report both teas succeeded in the aim of relieving pain.