60 elderly patients with osteoarthritis (OA),who had undergone cementless total hip arthroplasty, were randomized to receive either no drug treatment, alendronate, or alfacalcidol to determine the effects on bone mineral density (BMD). The results of the 48-week trial indicated that alendronate maintained BMD in all areas of the femur, whereas groups who received no treatment or alfacalcidol had patches on the femur, where BMD was not constant. In addition, it was found that alfacalcidol and alendronate maintained higher BMDs in the lumbar spine in comparison to the group that received no treatment.