Selected therapy-related clinical research topics in osteoporosis

Effective antiresorptive treatment options are currently available for fracture prevention in patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis. Although orally administered bisphosphonates are most widely used, they demonstrate specific compliance requirements and potential side effects. Medical therapy targeting acute fractures is lacking. This paper reviews two recently published studies. The first readdresses the use of intravenous bisphosphonates as a primary choice for fracture prevention; it concludes that once yearly administration may be a practical option. The second study assesses the effects of short-term use of a subcutaneous infusion of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I bound to its primary binding protein, IGFBP-3, on blunting the catabolic events associated with hip fractures. The investigators suggest that this intervention merits additional evaluation as a potentially important modality to improve care in this patient population.