Study: Monitoring Bone Density Unnecessary, Potentially Misleading

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Regular bone mineral density monitoring in postmenopausal women may be unnecessary and potentially misleading.

Researchers looked at how the effects of the drug alendronate (a widely used osteoporosis drug) differ between individuals. They found after three years therapy, almost all (97.5%) women treated with alendronate showed at least a modest increase in hip bone mineral density. In addition, this treatment effect did not vary substantially between individuals. Researchers say this makes monitoring individuals' response to treatment unnecessary.

The study analyzed data from the Fracture Intervention Trial, a large randomized trial that compared the effects of alendronate with placebo in over 6,000 postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density. Bone density of the hip and spine were measured at the start of they study and one, two and three years later.

Monitoring bone density in postmenopausal women in the first three years after starting treatment with osteoporosis drugs is unnecessary according to researchers, and because of the potential to mislead, is best not done. These findings strengthen the case against routine bone mineral density monitoring during the first few years of treatment. Patients may be given inappropriate advice if changes in bone mineral density are used to monitor treatment.

"Routine monitoring of bone mineral density during the first few years of antiresorptive treatment cannot be justified because it may mislead patients, lead to inappropriate management decisions, and waste scare healthcare resources," Juliet Compston, Professor of Bone Medicine at the University of Cambridge was quoted saying.

SOURCE: British Medical Journal, June 2009