Medications Reduce Postmenopausal Fracture Risk

Teriparatide, raloxifene linked to reduced risk of new adjacent and nonadjacent vertebral fracture

07 june 2009-- In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, teriparatide and raloxifene may significantly reduce the risk of vertebral fractures, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Mary L. Bouxsein, Ph.D., of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from the Fracture Prevention Trial and the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation trial to determine the incidences of new adjacent and new nonadjacent vertebral fractures. Their analysis included 1,226 untreated postmenopausal women with one or more prevalent vertebral fractures at baseline.

Compared to placebo, the researchers found that teriparatide was associated with a 72 percent reduced risk of a new vertebral fracture and a significantly reduced risk of a new adjacent and new nonadjacent vertebral fracture (75 and 70 percent, respectively). They also found that raloxifene was associated with a 54 percent reduced risk of a new vertebral fracture and a significantly reduced risk of a new adjacent and new nonadjacent vertebral fracture (54 and 53 percent, respectively). In addition, the investigators note, the risk of a new adjacent vertebral fracture was 2.5-fold higher than the risk of a new nonadjacent vertebral fracture.

"To our knowledge, teriparatide and raloxifene are the first treatments to demonstrate effects in terms of reducing the incidence of adjacent-level vertebral fractures," the authors conclude.

This study was supported by Eli Lilly and Company; several authors reported financial relationships with Eli Lilly.

Abstract
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