Monthly ibandronate effective
Monthly treatment with the oral bisphosphonate, ibandronate, achieves similar increases in bone mineral density in women with post-menopausal osteoporosis as once-daily dosing, according to data reported at meeting of the American
Society for Bone Mineral Research in Seattle earlier this month.
The MOBILE (monthly oral ibandronate in ladies) study randomised 1,609
women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to monthly ibandronate or the
currently approved daily regimen (2.5mg daily), in addition to calcium
and vitamin D supplements.
After one year, lumbar spine mineral density increased by 3.9 per cent
in women on daily therapy, compared with 4.1 per cent in those on monthly
ibandronate (100mg) and 4.3 per cent in women given the drug as 50mg
doses on two consecutive days each month.
Cyrus Cooper, professor of rheumatology at the University of Southampton
and one of the study investigators, commented on the practice implications: “Compliance
with osteoporosis treatments tends to be poor because it is an asymptomatic
condition which progresses silently until fractures occur. To maintain
bone density and protect against fractures it is important that patients
with osteoporosis remain on therapy, which might prove easier with once
monthly treatment.”
Further studies reported at the conference showed that up to 80 per cent
of patients taking a daily bisphosphonate and up to 60 per cent of those
on a weekly bisphosphonate discontinued treatment within one year. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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