[Efficacy of ibandronat 150 mg given once a month in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis on the basis of biochemical bone markers--adhero study].

UNLABELLED: INTRODUCTION. Menopausal osteoporosis is a disease of older age, and its development is related to the cessation of ovarian function together with a number of risk factors. Monthly dosing regimens are welcomed by women because of higher satisfaction and better adherence. This study was aimed at assessing the therapeutic effect of ibandronate given once a month to women with postmenopausal osteoporosis on the basis of biochemical bone markers.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We examined 168 patients of 268 patients in AD-HERO study. RocheDiagnostics, Elecsys beta-CrossLaps and beta-N-MID-Osteocalcin were used to measure beta-crosslaps before the therapy and 3 months after the therapy had been introduced as well as osteocalcin, which was measured in 12 patients.

RESULTS

The value of beta-crosslaps before treatment was 0.5264 +/- 0.2926, that being above the upper limit of normal values for women in generative period, indicating an average of slightly increased bone resorption. Betacross-laps decreased and reached normal values for women in generative period 0.2277 +/- 0.1863 three months after the introduction of monthly ibandronat at a dose of 150 mg orally. This difference was highly statistically significant (t = 13.648, p < or = 0.0001). In 18 patients osteocalcin was measured before and three months after the introduction of the therapy. Osteocalcin was 31.3056 +/- 14.8209 before the treatment, which is normal for women of childbearing period. Osteocalcin decreased to 22.1822 +/- 6.9943 after three months, which is also within the normal range for women in the childbearing period of life. This difference was statistically significant (t =2.951, p < or = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Monthly ibandronat suppresses bone resorption three months after the introduction of therapy. Biochemical bone markers quickly confirm the effect of medication, and they can be used in the assessment of effects on bone mineral density and future fracture risk.