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Effects of bisphosphonates on bone quality components and fracture risk

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 8, page 3 (2012)Cite this article

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Bisphosphonates are commonly prescribed to postmenopausal women to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce fracture risk. However, the specific effects of these drugs on bone quality components and the long-term consequences of bisphosphonate-related suppression of bone turnover are not fully known; the incidence of rare atypical subtrochanteric (ST) fractures in long-term users demonstrates a need for better understanding. Donnelly et al. compared bone quality properties of tissue mineral content, carbonate:phosphate ratio, collagen maturity and mineral crystallinity in bone near the site of femoral fracture in postmenopausal women with and without a history of bisphosphonate use.

The bisphosphonate-treated group contained 20 women (mean duration of treatment 7 ± 4.8 years) with intertrochanteric (IT; n = 13), typical ST (n = 1) or atypical ST (n = 6) fractures. Of the 20 women in the bisphosphonate-naive group, 19 had IT fractures and 1 had a typical ST fracture.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Donnelly, E. et al. Reduced cortical bone compositional heterogeneity with bisphosphonate treatment in postmenopausal women with intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures. J. Bone Miner. Res. doi:10.1002/jbmr.560

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  1. Nick Warde
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Warde, N. Effects of bisphosphonates on bone quality components and fracture risk. Nat Rev Rheumatol 8, 3 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2011.186

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2011.186

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