Alendronate for the Treatment of Osteoporosis in Men In this study, 241 men ranging in age from 31 to 87 years who had osteoporosis that was idiopathic or associated with low serum testosterone values were given 10 mg of alendronate or placebo daily for two years. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, hip, and total body progressively increased by a mean of 7.1, 3.1, and 2.0 percent, respectively, in the alendronate group, as compared with respective increases of 1.8, 0.6, and 0.4 percent in the placebo group. The men in the alendronate group also had fewer vertebral fractures and smaller decreases in height.

Predictors of Outcome in Severe, Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis Opinions differ about whether to perform aortic-valve replacement in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis. In practice, surgery is often deferred until symptoms appear, but there is concern that sudden death may occur in the interim. In this study, poor outcomes were observed in asymptomatic patients with moderate-to-severe valvular calcification together with Doppler evidence of a rapid increase in aortic stenosis. Such patients should be considered for early valve replacement, even if they remain asymptomatic.

Spinal Cord Stimulation in Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a chronic pain syndrome that can develop after trauma to an extremity. This randomized trial assessed the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation through implanted electrodes. The 36 patients assigned to receive electrical stimulation plus physical therapy had significantly greater relief of pain and greater improvement in the quality of life than did the 18 controls who were treated with physical therapy alone.