Cumulative alendronate dose and the long-term absolute risk of subtrochanteric and diaphyseal femur fractures: a register-based national cohort analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Bisphosphonates are the mainstay of anti-osteoporotic treatment and are commonly used for a longer duration than in the placebo-controlled trials. A link to development of atypical subtrochanteric or diaphyseal fragility fractures of the femur has been proposed, and these fractures are currently the subject of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review.

Objective

Our objective was to examine the risk of subtrochanteric/diaphyseal femur fractures in long term users of alendronate.

Design

We conducted an age- and gender-matched cohort study using national healthcare data.

Patients

Patients were alendronate users, without previous hip fracture, who began treatment between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2005 (n=39,567) and untreated controls, (n=158,268)

SUBMITTER: Abrahamsen B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2999980 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature