Five years treatment with strontium ranelate reduces vertebral and nonvertebral fractures and increases the number and quality of remaining life-years in women over 80 years of age

• Published in: Bone (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2010-04, Vol.46 (4), p.1038-1042
• Main Authors: Seeman, Ego, Boonen, Steven, Borgström, Frederik, Vellas, Bruno, Aquino, Jean-Pierre, Semler, Jutta, Benhamou, Claude-Laurent, Kaufman, Jean-Marc, Reginster, Jean-Yves
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Bone and Bones - drug effects; Bone Density - drug effects; Bone Density Conservation Agents - therapeutic use; Calcium, Dietary - therapeutic use; Female; General & internal medicine; Hip Fractures - prevention & control; Human health sciences; Humans; Intention to Treat Analysis; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Médecine générale & interne; Organometallic Compounds - therapeutic use; Orthopedics; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - drug therapy; Quality of Life; Sciences de la santé humaine; Spinal Fractures - prevention & control; Thiophenes - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 8756-3282; 1873-2763; 1873-2763
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2009.12.006

Abstract Introduction Longevity has resulted in a greater proportion of the population entering a time of life when increasing bone fragility and falls predispose to fractures, particularly nonvertebral fractures. Women over 80 years of age constitute 10% of the population but contribute 30% of all fractures and 60% of all nonvertebral fractures. Despite this, few studies have examined antifracture efficacy of treatments in this high-risk group and none has provided evidence for benefits beyond 3 years. Materials and methods To determine whether strontium ranelate reduces the risk of vertebral and nonvertebral fractures during 5 years, we analyzed a subgroup of 1489 female patients over 80 years of age (mean 83.5 ± 3.0 years) with osteoporosis from the SOTI (spinal osteoporosis therapeutic intervention) and TROPOS (treatment of peripheral osteoporosis) studies randomized to strontium ranelate 2 g/d or placebo. All received a supplement of calcium plus vitamin D. Results By intention to treat, vertebral fracture risk was reduced by 31% (relative risk, RR = 0.69; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.52-0.92), nonvertebral fracture risk by 27% (RR = 0.73; 95% CI 0.57-0.95), major nonvertebral fracture risk by 33% (RR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.50-0.89) and hip fracture risk by 24% (RR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.50-1.15, not significant). Treatment was cost-saving as it decreased cost and increased QALYs and life-years. Discussion Strontium ranelate safely produced a significant reduction in vertebral and nonvertebral fracture risk during 5 years in postmenopausal women over 80 years of age and was cost saving.