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Young's modulus and hardness of human trabecular bone with bisphosphonate treatment durations up to 20 years

Pienkowski D, Wood CL, Malluche HH

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2019

86 participants

Abstract

UNLABELLED: Bone modulus from patients with osteoporosis treated with bisphosphonates for 1 to 20 years was analyzed. Modulus increases during the first 6 years of treatment and remains unchanged thereafter.

INTRODUCTION: Bisphosphonates are widely used for treating osteoporosis, but the relationship between treatment duration and bone quality is unclear. Since material properties partially determine bone quality, the present study quantified the relationship between human bone modulus and hardness with bisphosphonate treatment duration.

METHODS: Iliac crest bone samples from a consecutive case series of 86 osteoporotic Caucasian women continuously treated with oral bisphosphonates for 1.1-20 years were histologically evaluated to assess bone turnover and then tested using nanoindentation. Young's modulus and hardness were measured and related to bisphosphonate treatment duration by statistical modeling.

RESULTS: All bone samples had low bone turnover. Statistical models showed that with increasing bisphosphonate treatment duration, modulus and hardness increased, peaked, and plateaued. These models used quadratic terms to model modulus increases from 1 to 6 years of bisphosphonate treatment and linear terms to model modulus plateaus from 6 to 20 years of treatment. The treatment duration at which the quadratic-linear transition (join point) occurred also depended upon trabecular location. Hardness increased and peaked at 12.4 years of treatment; it remained constant for the…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health. Reported size: 86 participants or records.

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