Impact of denosumab on muscle health in older adults in long-term care
Abstract
Background: Osteosarcopenia, a condition characterized by the simultaneous presence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia, is a common geriatric syndrome associated with increased risk of falls and fracture. While there are multiple medications available for the management of osteoporosis, there are currently no approved pharmacological treatments for sarcopenia.
Methods: In this secondary analysis of a 2-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial involving 201 men and women with osteoporosis aged ≥65 years who were residents of long-term care communities (LTCCs), we examined the impact of denosumab on various indices of muscle health. Study participants received either denosumab 60 mg every 6 months or a matching placebo. We measured appendicular lean mass (ALM/Height2), lower extremity lean mass (LELM), grip strength, chair stand test performance, gait speed, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and total hip and spine bone density at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months.
Results: Our study involved 78 men and 123 women, with a mean age of 81.5 years. There were no statistically significant differences between the denosumab and placebo groups in terms of changes in appendicular lean mass adjusted for ALM/Height2, LELM, chair stand performance, SPPB scores, or gait speed (all p > 0.05). However, in women, the chair stand test and grip strength showed non-significant greater improvements with denosumab at 18 and 24 months, suggesting a potential positive effect.…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 201 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Effectiveness of Bisphosphonates and Denosumab on Risk of Vertebral Fractures in Prostate Cancer Patients Under Androgen Deprivation Therapies: A Real-World Prospective Study
- Osteoporosis-related fractures after spinal cord injury: a retrospective study from Brazil
- Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and mortality in older men
- Lack of Association between Vitamin D Insufficiency and Cardiovascular or Fracture Risk: A UK Biobank Study
- Muscle strength and body composition are clinical indicators of osteoporosis
- Incidence of bone protection and associated fragility injuries in patients with proximal femur fractures
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.