Oral Bisphosphonates and Femur Fracture Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Kim Seo Young, Schneeweiss Sebastian, Katz Jeffrey N, Levin Raisa, Solomon Daniel H
Primary Institution: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Hypothesis
Does long-term use of oral bisphosphonates increase the risk of subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femur fractures compared to raloxifene or calcitonin?
Conclusion
There is no significant difference in the risk of subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femur fractures between users of oral bisphosphonates and those using raloxifene or calcitonin.
Supporting Evidence
- The estimated incidence rate of fractures was similar between bisphosphonate users and those using raloxifene or calcitonin.
- Only 104 fractures were observed among 33,815 patients in the study.
- The hazard ratio for bisphosphonate use was 1.03, indicating no significant increase in fracture risk.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether taking certain osteoporosis medications increases the chance of breaking a specific part of the thigh bone. It found that there isn't a big difference in fracture risk between the medications.
Methodology
A propensity score-matched cohort study using health care utilization data to compare fracture rates among users of oral bisphosphonates and those using raloxifene or calcitonin.
Potential Biases
Potential for confounding bias due to non-random allocation of treatments.
Limitations
The study could not assess whether all fractures had characteristic radiographic findings of atypical fractures, and there may be residual confounding due to unmeasured factors.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was approximately 80 years, with 97% being women and 95% white.
Statistical Information
P-Value
1.03
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.70–1.52
Statistical Significance
p>0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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