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A 44 yr-old female with osteoporosis had no relevant gastrointestinal symptoms and did not avoid any specific food. However, after prescription of a lactose-rich calcium supplementation, clinical symptoms suspicious for lactose intolerance occurred, which were thereafter confirmed by a lactose tolerance test. Lactose intolerance may present with only slight or subtle symptoms. Drugs containing lactose may induce or increase gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with lactose intolerance. In case of gastrointestinal symptoms occurring after the initiation of drugs containing lactose, the possibility of lactose intolerance should be considered and tested by lactose tolerance test or genetic testing for the LCT (-13910) polymorphism. Due to the prevalence of about 15-25% lactose intolerance in the Austrian population, lactose free drugs should be prescribed as widely as possible.

Fascioliosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Fasciola hepatica (common liver fluke). Initial clinical symptoms are frequently non-specific. Even after the development of liver tumors, a range of different underlying disorders will have to be considered. The rare cause of a parasitosis is not always included in the differential diagnostic work up. We report on a 41-year-old truck driver from Middle East who was admitted at our hospital due to ongoing upper abdominal pain, fatigue, night sweat and nausea lasting for weeks. Diagnostic investigation showed leucocytosis, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, elevated liver values and IgE as well as blood eosinophilia. Radiological findings of the computed tomography were bilateral pulmonary lesions 3 mm in size and multiple hepatic lesions up to 4.5 cm in diameter. Due to the suspicion of a malignant disease, a liver biopsy was planned but cancelled after parasitological serology (Western blot and ELISA) revealed IgG-antibodies against F. hepatica. Detailed history gave evidence of a recent parasitological infection during a stay in Turkey with consumption of vegetable which were grown and washed with water from the local river. Eggs of the parasite could neither be found in analysis of duodenal secretion nor in examination of fecal culture. However, confirmation for the infection with F. hepatica was proved with another positive serology. The treatment with Triclabendazole (Egaten(®)) for two days with a total dosage of 2000 mg was followed by a remarkable recovery of the patient's symptoms and decrease of eosinophilia in the blood count just one month after treatment and normalization after four months.

The Austrian Society for Bone and Mineral Research routinely publishes evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The fully human monoclonal antibody denosumab (Prolia(®)) has been recently approved by the European Medical Agency (EMEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Denosumab has been shown to reduce vertebral, non-vertebral,and hip-fracture risk effectively. Together with alendronate, risedronate, zoledronate, ibandronate, strontium ranelate, and raloxifene, denosumab constitutes an effective option in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by diminished bone mass and deterioration of bone microarchitecture, leading to increased fragility and subsequent increased fracture risk. Therapeutic measures therefore aim at reducing individual fracture risk. In Austria, the following drugs, all of which have been proven to reduce fracture risk, are currently registered for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: alendronate, risedronate, etidronate, ibandronate, raloxifene, teriparatide (1-34 PTH), 1-84 PTH, strontium ranelate and salmon calcitonin. Fluorides are still available, but their role in daily practice has become negligible. Currently, there is no evidence that a combination of two or more of these drugs could improve anti-fracture potency. However, treatment with PTH should be followed by the treatment with an anticatabolic drug such as bisphosphonates. Calcium and vitamin D constitute an important adjunct to any osteoporosis treatment.

Osteoporosis is known as a condition characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to bone fragility and a consequent susceptibility to fracture. Osteoporosis has its highest rate of occurrence in postmenopausal women, and in Western countries it has been estimated that for white women aged fifty, the life-time risk of developing an osteoporotic fracture is nearly 40%. Given the consequences of osteoporosis, the most important goal of therapy is to prevent fractures. In Austria, several pharmacologic options for treatment of osteoporosis are available, including bisphosphonates (alendronate, etidronate, risedronate), selective estrogen receptor modulators (raloxifene), calcitonins (salm-calcitonin, elcatonin), fluorides (sodium-fluoride, monofluorophosphate), anabolic steroids (nandrolone-decanoate), steroid derivates (tibolone), estrogen and hormone replacement therapy. An evidence-based evaluation of these treatment options clearly indicates that alendronate, risedronate and raloxifene sufficiently reduce the risk of vertebral fractures. There is less evidence for reduction of vertebral fracture risk for etidronate, calcitonin, estrogen replacement therapy or hormone replacement therapy. Only alendronate and risedronate have been shown to reduce the risk of hip fractures. Calcium and vitamin D are useful adjuncts to any specific treatment for osteoporosis, particularly when Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies have been diagnosed. Also, there is good evidence that in women with Calcium and vitamin D deficiency, a combination of Calcium and vitamin D may reduce the risk of non-vertebral fractures. There is no evidence so far that a combination therapy of antiresorptive drugs would result in reduced fracture risk.

Metabolic bone diseases with disturbed bone remodeling lead to loss of biomechanical quality and atraumatic fractures. Differential diagnosis, prevention and adequate treatment should already start early in the course of these disorders to prevent fractures. Thus, clinical osteology is more than the simplified connection "low bone mineral density--fractures--osteoporosis". This review summarizes physiological relations between bone tissue and calcium homoeostasis as well as the relation between structure and function. In addition, the main metabolic osteopathies "osteoporosis, primary hyperparathyroidism and osteomalacia" are presented from a clinical point of view. The importance and the diagnostic values of biochemical parameters and of the transiliacal biopsy are discussed. In this respect the quantitative measurement of the mineralization density (bone mineral density distribution = BMDD) seems to be of high value and extends the well established bone histomorphometry. This recently introduced method has the power to distinguish between small differences in the degree of mineralization of the matrix with high precision and reproducibility. The results of quantitative backscattered electron imaging in the scanning electron microscope improve the differential diagnosis of bone diseases with alterations in mineralization density, helps to detect mixed etiology (e.g. osteoporosis plus osteomalacia) and facilitate decision making for treatments. The value of biochemical, radiological, osteodensitometric and histopathological tests for diagnosis and treatment depends on the knowledge of the clinical relations and the complex interactions between calcium-, phosphate- and bone metabolism.

This article briefly summarizes our present knowledge on regulation of proliferation, differentiation and function of bone cells (osteoblasts, osteoclasts) by hormones (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, parathyroid hormone, thyroid hormone, sex steroids, glucocorticoids and calcitonin), cytokines (IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-11 und IFN-gamma) and growth factors (IGF-I, TGF-beta). Interaction of these factors in "basic multicellular units" acting locally on bone surfaces is thought to result in tight coupling of bone formation and resorption in bone-remodelling processes. The significance of the latter in different phases of fracture healing, which proceeds from mesenchymal cell proliferation through callus formation to calcification and bone modelling, is emphasized.

The bone mineral density measurements of three different instruments at the femoral head were compared using 12 cadaver specimens. Two of these instruments were operated by x-rays (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry = DEXA), whereas one system was based on a gadolinium source (dual photon absorptiometry = DPA). Although excellent correlation between the measurements was obtained (r greater than 0,9), the measurements of one of the DEXA-instruments were significantly higher than the measurements of the two other systems. We conclude that a comparison of bone mineral density measurements obtained on different densitometry instruments may pose problems. Follow-up examinations should be done on one single densitometry unit.

26, out of them 20 surgically proven cases of primary hyperparathyroidism are presented. The value of different laboratory, radiographic and scintigraphic analysis is examined. The estimation of calcium and phosphate in serum, the iPTH-determination and fine detail hands radiographs were found to be sufficient to establish diagnosis and indication for surgery. The chloride/phosphate-ratio proved valuable in comparative statistical analysis between pHPT and two control groups. Venous sampling at present seems to be the superior method for preoperative localization of parathyroid disease. It should be performed before second surgical intervention in the cervical region, in elderly (more than 60 years old) and risk patients. Early diagnosis and therapy of pHPT is important as pHPT is a chronic disease with many organ complications. The value of calcium-screening in an age group between 40 and 60 years is discussed.

5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5), an important enzyme in the metabolism of nucleotides, is generally accepted as a plasma membrane marker. The enzyme selectively splits phosphoric acid from 5' mononucleotides. Several methods are available for the histochemical localization of enzymes (antigenic properties of the enzyme protein, enzyme properties and activity and labelled specific inhibitors). Only the method based on enzyme properties has been used up to now in the case of 5'-nucleotidase. Free phosphoric acid liberated during the dephosphorylation of substrates such as AMP or IMP is rendered visible at the sites of 5' nucleotidase activity in the tissue by precipitation as lead or calcium phosphate. An improvement in the light microscopic technique is achieved by the use of freezedried tissue embedded in glycol methacrylate, whereby the histochemical reaction can be performed on semi-thin sections. Since lead phosphate is electron dense, these precipitates can easily be detected in the electron microscope too. Wide species and organ differences are found with respect to the distribution of 5'-nucleotidase activity. The well-known localization of the enzyme on the outer cell surface according to biochemical studies is confirmed by electron microscopic findings. A purely catabolic function of 5'-nucleotidase, as propounded in the literature, seems dubious since high 5'-nucleotidase activity was demonstrated in rapidly proliferating tissue too.