Eighty postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were randomized to one of three treatment groups: one received 2.5 units of growth hormone per day for 3 years; one received 1 unit of growth hormone per day for 3 years; one received placebo every day for 18 months. The double-blind phase of the trial lasted up to 18 months. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of growth hormone therapy on bone quality and fracture risk 10 years after the start of treatment (7 years after treatment completion). Results demonstrated increases in bone mineral density and bone mineral content in both the 2.5 and 1.0U/d growth hormone groups relative to baseline, as well as placebo, up to the 4-year assessment period (ie. 1 year after treatment cessation). Thereafter, the effect of growth hormone therapy decreased in both treatment groups and continued to decline to approximately pre-treatment levels at the 10-year follow-up. There did not appear to be a marked difference in fracture rate between the 2.5 and 1.0U/d GH groups (10 and 15 fractures; respectively) and the placebo group (9 fractures) over the duration of the 10-year study duration.