TY - JOUR T1 - Etidronate, calcium, or both did not reduce fracture rates in patients with asthma receiving glucocorticoid treatment JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 53 LP - 53 DO - 10.1136/ebm.10.2.53 VL - 10 IS - 2 A2 - , Y1 - 2005/04/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/10/2/53.abstract N2 - Campbell IA, Douglas JG, Francis RM, et al. Five year study of etidronate and/or calcium as prevention and treatment for osteoporosis and fractures in patients with asthma receiving long term oral and/or inhaled glucocorticoids. Thorax 2004;59:761–8.OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text 
 
 Q In patients with asthma receiving long term glucocorticoid treatment, does etidronate, calcium, or both reduce fracture rates? Clinical impact ratings GP/FP/Primary care ★★★★★★☆ IM/Ambulatory care ★★★★★☆☆ Rheumatology ★★★★★★☆ Respirology ★★★★★☆☆ Design: randomised controlled trial. Allocation: concealed.* Blinding: blinded {data analysts}†.* Follow-up period: 5 years. Setting: 40 chest clinics in the UK. Patients: 352 men and women 50–70 years of age (mean age 60 y, 58% men) who were outpatients; randomisation was violated in 349 patients. Patients had asthma and had been taking regular oral or inhaled glucocorticoids, or both, for ⩾1 year. Only postmenopausal women were included. Women with a hysterectomy were excluded. Interventions: patients were stratified by level of glucocorticoid exposure and allocated to oral etidronate, 400 mg/day for 2 weeks every 3 months (n = 81); calcium carbonate, given as 500 mg/day of elemental … ER -