IOF position on scientists and societies operating in conflict zones.

This position paper of the International Osteoporosis Foundation reports the findings of an IOF Commission to consider to recommend rules of partnership with scientists belonging to a country which is currently responsible for an armed conflict, anywhere in the world. The findings and recommendations have been adopted unanimously by the Board of IOF.

Romosozumab Efficacy in Postmenopausal Women With No Prior Fracture Who Fulfill Criteria for Very High Fracture Risk.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the efficacy of romosozumab in women from FRAME who had no prior fracture but met other criteria for very high fracture risk (VHFR). METHODS: In FRAME, postmenopausal women received romosozumab or placebo for 12 months (year 1) followed by denosumab for 12 months (year 2). In this post hoc analysis, we applied the following criteria from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology to define VHFR: lumbar spine or total hip T-score <-3.0 and/or Fracture Risk Assessment Tool probability of major osteoporotic fracture >30% or hip fracture >4.5% to women with no fracture history at baseline (no fracture-VHFR [NF-VHFR]). Incidence of new vertebral, clinical, and nonvertebral fractures and mean bone mineral density (BMD) percentage change from baseline were assessed at years 1 and 2. RESULTS: Of the 7180 women in FRAME, 2825 were included in the NF-VHFR subgroup analysis. At year 1, romosozumab versus placebo reduced the incidence of new vertebral fracture (relative risk reduction [RRR]: 76%), clinical fracture (RRR: 60%), and nonvertebral fracture (RRR: 54%) (all P <.05). This fracture reduction was maintained through year 2 in women receiving the romosozumab-to-denosumab sequence versus the placebo-to-denosumab sequence for new vertebral, clinical, and nonvertebral fractures (RRR: 77%, 54%, and 46%, respectively; all P <.05). The mean BMD changes in both treatment groups were similar to those in the overall FRAME population at years 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: Romosozumab significantly reduced vertebral, clinical, and nonvertebral fracture risk and increased the BMD more than placebo in women at VHFR.

Proceedings of the 2023 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Progress and Controversies in the Management of Patients with Skeletal Diseases.

The Santa Fe Bone Symposium (SFBS) held its 23rd annual event on August 5-6, 2023, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Attendees participated in-person and remotely, representing many states and countries. The program included plenary presentations, panel discussions, satellite symposia, a Project ECHO workshop, and a session on healthcare policy and reimbursement for fracture liaison programs. A broad range of topics were addressed, including transitions of osteoporosis treatments over a lifetime; controversies in vitamin D; update on Official Positions of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry; spine surgery and bone health; clinical applications of bone turnover markers; basic bone biology for clinicians; premenopausal-, pregnancy-, and lactation-associated osteoporosis; cancer treatment induced bone loss in patients with breast cancer and prostate cancer; genetic testing for skeletal diseases; and an update on nutrition and bone health. There were also sessions on rare bone diseases, including managing patients with hypophosphatasia; treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia; and assessment and treatment of patients with hypoparathyroidism. There were oral presentations of abstracts by endocrinology fellows selected from those who participated in the Santa Fe Fellows Workshop on Metabolic Bone Diseases, held the 2 days prior to the SFBS. These proceedings of the 2023 SFBS present the clinical highlights and insights generated from many formal and informal discussions in Santa Fe.

Proceedings of the 2021 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Advances in the Management of Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases.

The 2021 Virtual Santa Fe Bone Symposium was held August 5-8, with over 300 registered attendees from throughout the USA, and at least 18 other countries. This annual meeting focuses on applying advances in basic science and clinical research to the care of patients with osteoporosis and those with inherited and acquired disorders of bone metabolism. Participants represented a broad range of medical disciplines with an interest in skeletal diseases. These included physicians of many specialties and practice settings, fellows, advanced practice providers, fracture liaison service (FLS) coordinators, clinical researchers, and bone density technologists. There were lectures, case presentations, and panel discussions, all followed by interactive discussions. Breakout sessions included an FLS workshop, Bone Health TeleECHO workshop, special interest groups, meet-and-greet the faculty, and satellite symposia. The agenda covered topics of interest such as strategies for the use of osteoanabolic therapy, prevention of periprosthetic fractures, management of atypical femur fractures, what we know and don't know about vitamin D, advances in the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in the assessment of skeletal health, controversies and conundrums in osteoporosis care, skeletal health in transgender patients, management of patients with hypophosphatasia and hypophosphatemia, and treat-to-target approaches for managing patients with osteoporosis. The Proceedings of the 2021 Virtual Santa Fe Bone Symposium consists of highlights of each presentation with current strategies for optimizing the care of patients with skeletal disorders.

Proceedings of the 2022 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Current Concepts in the Care of Patients with Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases.

The 22nd Annual Santa Fe Bone Symposium (SFBS) was a hybrid meeting held August 5-6, 2022, with in-person and virtual attendees. Altogether, over 400 individuals registered, a majority of whom attended in-person, representing many states in the USA plus 7 other countries. The SFBS included 10 plenary presentations, 2 faculty panel discussions, satellite symposia, Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation Fracture Liaison Service Boot Camp, and a Project ECHO workshop, with lively interactive discussions for all events. Topics of interest included fracture prevention at different stages of life; how to treat and when to change therapy; skeletal health in cancer patients; advanced imaging to assess bone strength; the state of healthcare in the USA; osteosarcopenia; vitamin D update; perioperative bone health care; new guidelines for managing primary hyperparathyroidism; new concepts on bone modeling and remodeling; and an overview on the care of rare bone diseases, including hypophosphatasia, X-linked hypophosphatemia, tumor induced osteomalacia, osteogenesis imperfecta, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, and osteopetrosis. The SFBS was preceded by the Santa Fe Fellows Workshop on Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, a collaboration of the Endocrine Fellows Foundation and the Osteoporosis Foundation of New Mexico. From the Workshop, 4 participating fellows were selected to give oral presentations at the bone symposium. These proceedings represent the clinical highlights of 2022 SFBS presentations and the discussions that followed, all with the aim of optimizing skeletal health and minimizing the consequences of fragile bones.

Role of bone-forming agents in the management of osteoporosis.

Recent evidence confirms the superiority of osteoanabolic therapy compared to anti-remodeling drugs for rapid improvement in bone density and fracture risk reduction, providing strong justification for the use of these anabolic agents as the initial therapy in high-risk patients, to be followed by anti-remodeling therapy. This review will highlight the results of recent studies and define the current status of osteoanabolic therapy for osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis.

Fractures resulting from osteoporosis become increasingly common in women after age 55 years and men after age 65 years, resulting in substantial bone-associated morbidities, and increased mortality and health-care costs. Research advances have led to a more accurate assessment of fracture risk and have increased the range of therapeutic options available to prevent fractures. Fracture risk algorithms that combine clinical risk factors and bone mineral density are now widely used in clinical practice to target high-risk individuals for treatment. The discovery of key pathways regulating bone resorption and formation has identified new approaches to treatment with distinctive mechanisms of action. Osteoporosis is a chronic condition and long-term, sometimes lifelong, management is required. In individuals at high risk of fracture, the benefit versus risk profile is likely to be favourable for up to 10 years of treatment with bisphosphonates or denosumab. In people at a very high or imminent risk of fracture, therapy with teriparatide or abaloparatide should be considered; however, since treatment duration with these drugs is restricted to 18-24 months, treatment should be continued with an antiresorptive drug. Individuals at high risk of fractures do not receive adequate treatment and strategies to address this treatment gap-eg, widespread implementation of Fracture Liaison Services and improvement of adherence to therapy-are important challenges for the future.

Proceedings of the 2019 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: New Concepts in the Care of Osteoporosis and Rare Bone Diseases.

The 20th annual Santa Fe Bone Symposium was held August 9-10, 2019, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. This is an annual meeting devoted to clinical applications of recent advances in skeletal research that impact the care of patients with osteoporosis, metabolic bone diseases, and inherited bone diseases. Participants included practicing and academic physicians, fellows, advanced practice providers, fracture liaison service (FLS) coordinators, clinical researchers, and bone density technologists. The symposium consisted of lectures, case presentations, and panel discussions, with an emphasis on learning through interaction of all attendees. Topics included new approaches in the use of anabolic agents for the treatment osteoporosis, a review of important events in skeletal health over the past year, new and emerging treatments for rare bone diseases, the use of genetic testing for bone diseases in clinical practice, medication-associated causes of osteoporosis, new concepts in the use of estrogen therapy for osteoporosis, new Official Positions of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, skeletal consequences of bariatric surgery, and update on the progress and potential of Bone Health TeleECHO, a virtual community of practice using videoconferencing technology to link healthcare professionals for advancing the care of osteoporosis worldwide. Sessions on rare bone diseases were developed in collaboration with the Rare Bone Disease Alliance. Symposium premeetings included an FLS workshop by the National Osteoporosis Foundation and others devoted to the use of new therapeutic agents for the care of osteoporosis and related disorders.

Proceedings of the 2018 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Advances in the Management of Osteoporosis.

The Santa Fe Bone Symposium is an annual meeting devoted to clinical applications of recent advances in skeletal research. The 19th Santa Fe Bone Symposium convened August 3-4, 2018, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Attendees included physicians of many specialties, fellows in training, advanced practice providers, clinical researchers, and bone density technologists. The format consisted of lectures, case presentations by endocrinology fellows, and panel discussions, with all involving extensive interactive discussions. Topics were diverse, including an evolutionary history of calcium homeostasis, osteoporosis treatment in the very old, optimizing outcomes with orthopedic surgery, microbiome and bone, new strategies for combination and sequential therapy of osteoporosis, exercise as medicine, manifestations of parathyroid hormone excess and deficiency, parathyroid hormone as a therapeutic agent, cell senescence and bone health, and managing patients outside clinical practice guidelines. The National Bone Health Alliance conducted a premeeting on development of fracture liaison services. A workshop was devoted to Bone Health TeleECHO (Bone Health Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), a strategy of ongoing medical education for healthcare professions to expand capacity to deliver best practice skeletal healthcare in underserved communities and reduce the osteoporosis treatment gap.

Correction to: Geography of Fracture Incidence in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis Treated with Abaloparatide.

The article Geography of Fracture Incidence in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis Treated with Abaloparatide, written by Michael R. McClung, Gregory C. Williams, Gary Hattersley, Lorraine A. Fitzpatrick, Yamei Wang, Paul D. Miller, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 28 December 2017 without open access.

Geography of Fracture Incidence in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis Treated with Abaloparatide.

Geographic heterogeneity has been observed in fracture risk and efficacy of therapeutic intervention in postmenopausal osteoporosis. The objectives of these analyses were to assess across geographic and ethnic subgroups the heterogeneity of fracture incidence and baseline risk, and consistency of effect of abaloparatide-SC vs placebo on fracture risk reduction in the 18-month, phase 3, multinational, ACTIVE randomized controlled trial. Prespecified exploratory analyses of geographic subgroups (North America, South America, Europe, Asia) and post hoc analyses of ethnic subgroups (Hispanic or Latino, other) of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis enrolled in the abaloparatide-SC and placebo cohorts (n = 1645) were performed. Country-specific FRAX models were used to calculate 10-year absolute fracture risks. Relative risk reductions for vertebral fractures and hazard ratios for non-vertebral, clinical, and major osteoporotic fractures were calculated. Forest plots were constructed to assess treatment-by-subgroup interactions for each geographic region and ethnicity. Baseline prevalence of vertebral fractures was similar across geographies; baseline prevalence of non-vertebral fractures was more variable. Ten-year major osteoporosis fracture and hip fracture risks were variable across and within regions. The effects of abaloparatide-SC on reducing the risk of vertebral, non-vertebral, clinical, and major osteoporotic fractures were similar across regions, and for Hispanic or Latino vs other ethnicities. A limitation was the limited power to detect interactions with few events. In conclusion, despite geographic variability in fracture incidence and risk at baseline, no differences were detected in the effects of abaloparatide-SC in reducing vertebral, non-vertebral, clinical, and major osteoporotic fracture risk across assessed geographic regions and ethnicities.

Proceedings of the 2017 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Insights and Emerging Concepts in the Management of Osteoporosis.

The 18th Annual Santa Fe Bone Symposium was held on August 4-5, 2017, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. The symposium convenes health-care providers and clinical researchers to present and discuss clinical applications of recent advances in research of skeletal diseases. The program includes lectures, oral presentations by endocrinology fellows, case-based panel discussions, and breakout sessions on topics of interest, with emphasis on participation and interaction of all participants. Topics included the evaluation and treatment of adult survivors with pediatric bone diseases, risk assessment and management of atypical femur fractures, nonpharmacologic strategies in the care of osteoporosis, and skeletal effects of parathyroid hormone with opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Management of skeletal complications of rheumatic diseases was discussed. Insights into sequential and combined use of antiresorptive agents were presented. Individualization of patient treatment decisions when clinical practice guidelines may not be applicable was covered. Challenges and opportunities with osteoporosis drug development were discussed. There was an update on progress of Bone Health TeleECHO (Bone Health Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), a teleconferencing strategy for sharing knowledge and expanding capacity to deliver best-practice skeletal health care.

Romosozumab in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density.

BACKGROUND: Sclerostin is an osteocyte-derived inhibitor of osteoblast activity. The monoclonal antibody romosozumab binds to sclerostin and increases bone formation. METHODS: In a phase 2, multicenter, international, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, eight-group study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of romosozumab over a 12-month period in 419 postmenopausal women, 55 to 85 years of age, who had low bone mineral density (a T score of -2.0 or less at the lumbar spine, total hip, or femoral neck and -3.5 or more at each of the three sites). Participants were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous romosozumab monthly (at a dose of 70 mg, 140 mg, or 210 mg) or every 3 months (140 mg or 210 mg), subcutaneous placebo, or an open-label active comparator--oral alendronate (70 mg weekly) or subcutaneous teriparatide (20 µg daily). The primary end point was the percentage change from baseline in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine at 12 months. Secondary end points included percentage changes in bone mineral density at other sites and in markers of bone turnover. RESULTS: All dose levels of romosozumab were associated with significant increases in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine, including an increase of 11.3% with the 210-mg monthly dose, as compared with a decrease of 0.1% with placebo and increases of 4.1% with alendronate and 7.1% with teriparatide. Romosozumab was also associated with large increases in bone mineral density at the total hip and femoral neck, as well as transitory increases in bone-formation markers and sustained decreases in a bone-resorption marker. Except for mild, generally nonrecurring injection-site reactions with romosozumab, adverse events were similar among groups. CONCLUSIONS: In postmenopausal women with low bone mass, romosozumab was associated with increased bone mineral density and bone formation and with decreased bone resorption. (Funded by Amgen and UCB Pharma; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00896532.).

Using Osteoporosis Therapies in Combination.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The objective of this review is to update evidence regarding the use of osteoporosis drugs in sequence or in combination to optimize increases in bone mass and strength. RECENT FINDINGS: Simultaneous use of denosumab plus teriparatide produces larger increases in BMD than does monotherapy. The use of bisphosphonates or denosumab after teriparatide results in progressive gains in BMD. When switching from bisphosphonates and especially denosumab to teriparatide, an overlap of 6-12 months may prevent the transient loss of BMD in cortical sites. Phase 3 trials document fracture risk reduction with anabolic therapy for 12-18 months followed by an anti-remodeling drug. With the exception of adding teriparatide to ongoing denosumab therapy, there is little evidence to support the use of more than one osteoporosis drug at a time. In contrast, sequential therapy regimens of anabolic drugs followed by potent anti-remodeling agents will be the new standard for treating patients at imminent risk of fracture.

Proceedings of the 2016 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: New Concepts in the Management of Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases.

The Santa Fe Bone Symposium is an annual meeting of healthcare professionals and clinical researchers that details the clinical relevance of advances in knowledge of skeletal diseases. The 17th Santa Fe Bone Symposium was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, on August 5-6, 2016. The program included plenary lectures, oral presentations by endocrinology fellows, meet-the-professor sessions, and panel discussions, all aimed to provide ample opportunity for interactive discussions among all participants. Symposium topics included recent developments in the translation of basic bone science to patient care, new clinical practice guidelines for postmenopausal osteoporosis, management of patients with disorders of phosphate metabolism, new and emerging treatments for rare bone diseases, strategies to enhance fracture healing, and an update on Bone Health Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, using a teleconferencing platform to elevate the level of knowledge of healthcare professionals in underserved communities to deliver best practice care for skeletal diseases. The highlights and important clinical messages of the 2016 Santa Fe Bone Symposium are provided herein by each of the faculty presenters.

Proceedings of the 2015 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Clinical Applications of Scientific Advances in Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease.

The 2015 Santa Fe Bone Symposium was a venue for healthcare professionals and clinical researchers to present and discuss the clinical relevance of recent advances in the science of skeletal disorders, with a focus on osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. Symposium topics included new developments in the translation of basic bone science to improved patient care, osteoporosis treatment duration, pediatric bone disease, update of fracture risk assessment, cancer treatment-related bone loss, fracture liaison services, a review of the most significant studies of the past year, and the use of telementoring with Bone Health Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, a force multiplier to improve the care of osteoporosis in underserved communities.

Understanding and communicating the benefits and risks of denosumab, raloxifene, and teriparatide for the treatment of osteoporosis.

The number needed to treat is a valuable metric to determine the benefit of therapy, but it must be viewed against the respective number needed to harm. Denosumab and teriparatide (TPTD) have proven antifracture efficacy at vertebral and nonvertebral sites, whereas raloxifene has proven antifracture efficacy at the spine only. Denosumab use has been associated with a small, yet statistically significant, increased incidence of eczema and serious cellulitis. Raloxifene use has been associated with statistically significant increases in the risk of venous thromboembolism and possibly deadly stroke, although not an increase in total strokes. No significant, nontransient adverse events have been reported with TPTD use. When used for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, denosumab, raloxifene, and TPTD all generally have favorable risk-to-benefit profiles, but therapy-specific contraindications necessitate thoughtful consideration of all available clinical information and individualization of treatment decisions.

Romosozumab Followed by Denosumab Versus Denosumab Only: A Post Hoc Analysis of FRAME and FRAME Extension.

Osteoanabolic-first treatment sequences are superior to oral bisphosphonates for fracture reduction and BMD gain. However, data comparing osteoanabolic medications with the more potent antiresorptive, denosumab (DMAb), are limited. We analyzed FRAME and FRAME Extension data to assess BMD and fracture incidence in patients treated with romosozumab (Romo) followed by DMAb (Romo/DMAb) versus DMAb (DMAb/DMAb) for 24 months. In FRAME, women aged ≥55 years (total hip [TH] or femoral neck [FN] T-score: -2.5 to. -3.5) were randomized to Romo or placebo for 12 months followed by DMAb for 12 months. In FRAME Extension, both cohorts received DMAb for another 12 months. This post-hoc analysis compared BMD change and fracture incidence in patients on Romo/DMAb (months 0-24) versus DMAb/DMAb (months 12-36). Patient characteristics were balanced by propensity score weighting (PSW) and sensitivity analyses were conducted using PSW with multiple imputation (PSW-MI) and propensity score matching (PSM). Unmeasured confounding was addressed using E-values. After PSW, over 24 months, compared with DMAb/DMAb, treatment with Romo/DMAb produced significantly greater BMD increases at the lumbar spine [LS], TH, and FN (mean differences: 9.3%, 4.4%, and 4.1%, respectively; all p < 0.001). At month 24, in women with a baseline T-score of -3.0, the probability of achieving a T-score > -2.5 was higher with Romo/DMAb versus DMAb/DMAb (LS:92% versus 47%; TH:50% versus 5%). In the Romo/DMAb versus DMAb/DMAb cohorts, new vertebral fractures were significantly reduced (0.62% versus 1.26% [odds ratio = 0.45; p = 0.003]) and rates of clinical, nonvertebral, and hip fractures were lower (differences not significant). Similar BMD and fracture outcomes were observed with PSW-MI and PSM sensitivity analyses. The sequence of Romo/DMAb resulted in greater BMD gains and higher probability of achieving T-scores > -2.5, significantly reduced new vertebral fracture incidence, and numerically lowered the incidence (not significant) of clinical, nonvertebral, and hip fractures versus DMAb only through 24 months.

In patients with very high fracture risk, a treatment sequence with a bone-forming agent, followed by a bisphosphonate (one type of antiresorptive that reduces bone loss) is more effective in increasing bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing fracture risk compared to treatment with bisphosphonates alone. Here, we utilized patient data from the FRAME and FRAME Extension clinical trials to compare changes in BMD and fracture incidence in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with the bone-forming agent, romosozumab (Romo), for 12 months followed by the most potent antiresorptive, denosumab (DMAb), for 12 months (Romo/DMAb) versus patients treated with DMAb alone for 24 months. Propensity score weighting was used to balance the patient characteristics between the two groups. We found that BMD gains were significantly higher in patients treated with the Romo/DMAb sequence versus DMAb alone; these patients also had a higher probability of achieving a T-score above the osteoporosis range (>­2.5). In addition, new vertebral fractures were significantly lower and rates of clinical, nonvertebral, and hip fractures trended lower in patients treated with the Romo/DMAb sequence versus DMAb alone. Thus, a 24-months treatment sequence of Romo/DMAb compared with DMAb alone, resulted in higher BMD gains and lower fracture risk.

Osteoporosis treatment prevents hip fracture similarly in both sexes: the FOCUS observational study.

Randomized trials have not been performed, and may never be, to determine if osteoporosis treatment prevents hip fracture in men. Addressing that evidence gap, we analyzed data from an observational study of new hip fractures in a large integrated healthcare system to compare the reduction in hip fractures associated with standard-of-care osteoporosis treatment in men versus women. Sampling from 271 389 patients age ≥ 65 who had a hip-containing computed tomography scan during care between 2005-2018, we selected all who subsequently had a first hip fracture (cases) after the CT scan (start of observation) and a sex-matched equal number of randomly selected patients. From those, we analyzed all who tested positive for osteoporosis (DXA-equivalent hip bone mineral density T-score ≤ -2.5, measured from the CT scan using VirtuOst). We defined "treated" as at least six months of any osteoporosis medication by prescription fill data during follow up; "not-treated" was no prescription fill. Sex-specific odds ratios of hip fracture for treated versus not-treated patients were calculated by logistic regression; adjustments included age, BMD T-score, a BMD-treatment interaction, body mass index, race/ethnicity, and seven baseline clinical risk factors. At two-year follow-up, 33.9% of the women (750/2211 patients) and 24.0% of the men (175/728 patients) were treated, primarily with alendronate; 51.3% and 66.3%, respectively, were not-treated; and 721 and 269, respectively, had a first hip fracture since the CT scan. Odds ratio of hip fracture for treated versus not-treated was 0.26 (95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.33) for women and 0.21 (0.13-0.34) for men; the ratio of these odds ratios (men:women) was 0.81 (0.47-1.37), indicating no significant sex effect. Various sensitivity and stratified analyses confirmed these trends, including results at five-year follow-up. Given these results and considering the relevant literature, we conclude that osteoporosis treatment prevents hip fracture similarly in both sexes.

Much evidence suggests that osteoporosis treatment should prevent hip fracture similarly in both sexes. However, because of their expense, randomized clinical trials to demonstrate that definitively have not been performed and may never be. As a result, osteoporosis testing and treatment is not as widely adopted for men as it is for women. Addressing that evidence gap, we analyzed data from over 250 000 patients in the Kaiser Permanente healthcare system in Southern California. Sampling a subset of all patients over a 13-year period who had had a computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan as part of their medical care for any reason, we measured bone mineral density from the CT scans to identify all patients who had osteoporosis at the hip and then used data from the electronic health records to determine statistically the risk of a future hip fracture for those who were treated for osteoporosis versus those who were not treated. We found that the reduction in risk of hip fracture associated with treatment did not differ between the sexes. These results demonstrate that treating osteoporosis in patients at high risk of hip fracture should reduce the risk of hip fracture similarly in both sexes.

A novel monthly dosing regimen of risedronate for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: 2-year data.

This 2-year trial evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of a monthly oral regimen of risedronate. Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with risedronate 75 mg on 2 consecutive days each month (2CDM) or 5 mg daily. The primary end point was the percentage change from baseline in lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) at 12 months. Secondary end points included the change in BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur and in bone turnover markers as well as the number of subjects with at least one new vertebral fracture over 24 months. Among 1,229 patients who were randomized and received at least one dose of risedronate, lumbar spine BMD was increased in both treatment groups: mean percentage change from baseline was 4.2 ± 0.19 and 4.3 ± 0.19 % in the 75 mg 2CDM and 5 mg daily groups, respectively, at month 24. The treatment difference was 0.17 (95 % confidence interval -0.35 to 0.68). There were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups on any secondary efficacy parameters. Both treatment regimens were well tolerated. Risedronate 75 mg 2CDM was noninferior in BMD efficacy and did not show a difference in tolerability compared to 5 mg daily after 24 months of treatment in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. This monthly regimen may provide a more convenient dosing schedule to some patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.