Alendronate inhibits periprosthetic bone loss around uncemented femoral components

Periprosthetic bone loss can be severe around the femoral component after uncemented arthroplasty. This study investigated the inhibitory effect of alendronate on periprosthetic bone loss. Seventeen patients underwent arthroplasty with an uncemented femoral component. Among them, 8 patients were given alendronate 5 mg once daily for 1 year (ALN group) and 9 patients received no pharmacotherapy (control group). Bone mineral density was measured in six periprosthetic zones by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The average periprosthetic bone mineral density was 0.674-0.920 g/cm(2) at 1 month after surgery. From 6 months onward, the absolute bone mineral density and the ratio relative to the 1-month value were significantly decreased in the proximal zones of the femur in the control group (the ratio decreased from 0.817 to 0.769; P = 0.0040-0.0353). In the ALN group, however, the absolute and relative bone mineral density of the proximal femur remained unchanged for 12 months. In the other femoral zones, the absolute and relative bone mineral density remained unchanged throughout the study in both groups. We concluded that alendronate significantly inhibited the decrease of periprosthetic bone mineral density in the proximal femur after uncemented arthroplasty.