TY - JOUR T1 - DIagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis AU - Nicholas JA, Wilson PD Y1 - 1959/12/26 N1 - 10.1001/jama.1959.03010350001001 JO - Journal of the American Medical Association SP - 2279 EP - 2284 VL - 171 IS - 17 N2 - Among 105 patients hospitalized for spontaneous vertebral compression fractures, there were 55 (9 men and 46 women) in whom the diagnosis of osteoporosis was accepted after the exclusion of all other known causes of such fractures. Back pain was the chief symptom listed by all patients, but it was not always concurrent with the fracture. A history of cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, and a diet low in calcium content was common to one-third of the women. The condition was not limited to postmenopausal patients. No biochemical or roentgenographic evidence of benefit was noted in any of the patients receiving hormone therapy, but more than half said they felt better while taking hormones. Bed rest with gradual return to normal activity was adequate treatment in many cases, but about one-third of the patients required absolute bed rest for six weeks. Ten patients failed to improve and went on to a series of relapses and hospitalizations. SN - 0002-9955 M3 - doi: 10.1001/jama.1959.03010350001001 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1959.03010350001001 ER -