The efficacy of alendronate in wheelchair-bound patients: a 1-year prospective study

The aim of the study was to establish the efficacy of 1-year alendronate treatment in 10 wheelchair-bound participants. In the study were included participants with z-score lower than -2.0 in one of three skeletal sites. Bone status was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at calcaneus and forearm and using quantitative ultrasound at hand phalanges at baseline and after a year. Laboratory variables included serum carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and bone alkaline phosphatase. Mean values of bone measurements did not differ between baseline and follow-up, the mean value of ICTP nonsignificantly increased and bone alkaline phosphatase significantly dropped (P<0.01). No patient treated revealed the increase in three bone densitometric variables and only one showed a decrease in ICTP exceeding 40% of baseline value. Concluding, in wheelchair-bound participants short-term alendronate therapy does not reduce bone resorption and does not improve the skeletal status.