Clinical and Radiological Improvement of Periodontal Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated With Alendronate: A Randomized, Placebo‐Controlled Trial

• Published in: Journal of periodontology (1970) 2001-02, Vol.72 (2), p.204-209
• Main Authors: Rocha, Miriam, Nava, Laura Eugenia, Torre, Carlos Vázquez, Sánchez‐Marín, Francisco, Garay‐Sevilla, Ma. Eugenia, Malacara, Juan Manuel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alendronate - therapeutic use; Alveolar Bone Loss - diagnostic imaging; Alveolar Bone Loss - pathology; Alveolar Bone Loss - prevention & control; alveolar bone loss/prevention and control; Alveolar Process - diagnostic imaging; Alveolar Process - drug effects; Alveolar Process - pathology; Biomarkers - urine; Bone Resorption - urine; Case-Control Studies; clinical trials, controlled; clinical trials, randomized; Collagen - urine; Collagen Type I; Creatinine - urine; Dentistry; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; diabetes mellitus/complications; diphosphonates/therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Peptides - urine; Periodontitis - diagnostic imaging; Periodontitis - drug therapy; Periodontitis - pathology; Placebos; Prospective Studies; Radiographic Image Enhancement; Statistics, Nonparametric; Tooth Cervix - pathology
• ISSN: 0022-3492; 1943-3670
• DOI: 10.1902/jop.2001.72.2.204

Background: Alendronate (ALN) is an aminobisphosphonate commonly used for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. We studied the effect of ALN on bone loss prevention in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with periodontal disease. Methods: In a controlled double‐blind, randomized study we evaluated prospectively diabetic patients paired by gender and years since diagnosis for 6 months. The study included 40 patients (20 men and 20 women), 50 to 60 years old, with more than 5 years since diagnosis of diabetes and established periodontitis. They were randomly allocated to alendronate (10 mg/daily) or placebo treatment for 6 months. The endpoints of treatment were: the distance between the alveolar bone border and the cemento‐enamel‐junction (CEJ) evaluated by means of digital radiographic imaging, a biochemical marker of bone resorption (urine N‐telopeptide) (Ntx), and periodontal parameters. Metabolic control was assessed at baseline and after 6 months. Results: Baseline and 6‐month glycated hemoglobin levels were similar in both groups. Alendronate induced a significant decrease in NTx at 6 months (P = 0.006). Periodontal parameters improved in both groups. However, they were significantly better for the ALN treated group. Alveolar bone border‐CEJ distance increased in the placebo, but decreased in the ALN group (P = 0.0003). Conclusions: In type‐2 diabetic patients, alendronate induced more improvement in alveolar bone crest height than control therapy. No differences in urinary N‐telopeptide or glycated hemoglobin were observed in this short‐term randomized controlled pilot trial. J Periodontol 2001;72:204‐209.