Safety of Inpatient Zoledronic Acid in the Immediate Postfracture Setting

Zoledronic acid (ZA) administered during the initial hospitalization for a fragility fracture improves the osteoporosis pharmacotherapy rate. Distinguishing the safety profile of inpatient ZA (IP-ZA) in this context is crucial if this approach is to be widely adopted.

To study the acute safety profile of IP-ZA.

An observational study of patients admitted to the Massachusetts General Hospital with fragility fractures who were eligible to receive IP-ZA. Patients were treated with or without IP-ZA. Acetaminophen, either as a single pre-ZA dose or standing multiple-doses-per-day regimen for 48 hours or longer after ZA infusion, was also administered along with protocolized vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Changes in body temperature, serum creatinine, and serum calcium were measured.

A total of 285 consecutive patients, meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria, are included in this analysis; 204 patients received IP-ZA. IP-ZA treatment was associated with a transient mean rise of body temperature of 0.31 °C on the day following its administration. Temperatures above 38 °C were seen in 15% of patients in the IP-ZA group and 4% in the nontreated group. Standing multiple-doses-per-day but not a single pre-ZA dose of acetaminophen effectively prevented this temperature increase. IP-ZA did not affect serum creatinine levels. Mean levels of serum total calcium and albumin-corrected calcium decreased by 0.54 mg/dL and 0.40 mg/dL, respectively, at their nadirs (Day 5). No patient experienced symptomatic hypocalcemia.

IP-ZA along with standing multiple-doses-per-day acetaminophen, administered to patients in the immediate postfracture period, is not associated with significant acute adverse effects.