THURSDAY, Sept. 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Alendronate treatment reduces the risk of hip fracture in elderly patients with a prior fracture, with sustained safety, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Kristian F. Axelsson, M.D., from Skaraborg Hospital in Sweden, and colleagues propensity-matched (4-to-1) 7,844 elderly adults (≥80 years) with a prior fracture not treated with alendronate and 1,961 similar patients treated with alendronate.
The researchers found alendronate treatment was associated with a decreased risk of hip fracture in crude (hazard ratio, 0.62) and multivariable models (hazard ratio, 0.66). In addition, alendronate was associated with reduced mortality risk (hazard ratio, 0.88). However, it increased the risk of mild upper gastrointestinal symptoms (hazard ratio, 1.58).
"In old patients with prior fracture, alendronate treatment reduces the risk of hip fracture with sustained safety, indicating that this treatment should be considered in these high-risk patients," conclude the authors.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Abstract
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