Table 1

Clinical characteristics of the two groups of patients

Group		No of patients		Sex F/M		Age range		Disease duration (weeks, mean (SD))	Possible aetiological fasctors (no)
Group		No of patients		Sex F/M		Age range		Disease duration (weeks, mean (SD))	Trauma	Fracture	Neurological	Unknown
Alendronate blind + alendronate open	10	7/3	39-79	16 (17)	1	6	1	2
Placebo blind + alendronate open	10	5/5	48-80	19 (19)	2	7	0	1