Risedronate's effect partly due to decreases in bone
turnover
Decreases in bone turnover during the first three
to six months of treatment with risedronate (Actonel) partly explain the
drug's early effect on vertebral fracture risk in osteoporosis, researchers
suggest.
Professor Richard Eastell, professor of bone metabolism,
University of Sheffield, and colleagues measured the levels of bone resorption
markers in 2,442 women who were treated with either risedronate or placebo.
They suggest that decreases in bone turnover markers measured three to
six months after starting treatment explain 50 per cent of risedronate's
effect on vertebral fracture risk, and 66 per cent of its effect over
three years. This shows the potential value of bone resorption markers
as an assessment tool to measure treatment response, they say.
In a second study, researchers found that risedronate
5mg/day significantly reduces the risk of vertebral fractures after just
six months of treatment (P<0.01) compared with placebo.
The research was presented at the 23rd annual meeting
of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research in Phoenix, Arizona
earlier this month.
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