Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of nourishing kidney and strong bone prescription on prevention and treatment of aromatase inhibitor (AI)-related bone loss (AIBL), and to analyze the correlation between the bone loss and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of two ERα genes at rs9340799 and rs2234693. Methods One hundred and sixteen breast cancer patients treated with AI were divided into 2 groups randomly. Genome DNA was collected and sequenced for ERα gene. Patients in both groups received AI therapy, calcium + vitamin D treatment, and Chinese medicine treatment. Patients in the treatment group received nourishing kidney and strong bone prescription (herba epimedii 15g, fructus psoraleae 15g, drynaria rhizome 15g, cuscuta 15g, and achyranthes bidentata 30g) in addition. BMD, bone metabolites, and estrogen levels were measured in the two groups before, 3 and 6 months after the treatment. The changes in bone metabolism and SNPs of ERα gene were analyzed and compared. Results After 6-months treatment, the lumbar BMD and T value in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the efficacy in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (P< 0.001). PINP was higher, and β-CTX was lower in the treatment group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). ERα gene rs9340799 and rs2234693 had a significant effect on BMD of the lumbar spine. The BMD of lumbar spine in patients with homozygous A and T alleles did not show a significant decrease before and after treatment (P>0.05). The BMD of lumbar spine in patients with C and G alleles decreased. During the treatment, no patients were found abnormal in hepatorenal function, serum estradiol, and follicle-stimulating hormone. Conclusion Nourishing kidney and strong bone prescription has a certain role in the prevention and treatment for AIBL. It improves BMD of the lumbar vertebrae and femur, increases PINP level and reduces β-CTX level. AIs has little effect on bone metabolism in patients with A/T allele. Patients with C/G allele may be AIBL susceptible gene type. Nourishing kidney and strong bone prescription can safely improve each SNPS classification of patients with abnormal bone metabolism. |