Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Affects the Development of Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Women with Vertebral Fractures

Role of biophysical stimulation in multimodal management of vertebral compression fractures

Raised life expectancy and aging of the general population are associated with an increased concern for fragility fractures due to factors such as osteoporosis, reduced bone density, and an higher risk of falls. Among these, the most frequent are vertebral compression fractures (VCF), which can be clinically occult. Once the diagnosis is made, generally thorough antero-posterior and lateral views of the affected spine at the radiographs, a comprehensive workup to assess the presence of a metabolic bone disease or secondary causes of osteoporosis and bone frailty is required. Treatment uses a multimodal management consisting of a combination of brace, pain management, bone metabolism evaluation, osteoporosis medication and has recently incorporated biophysical stimulation, a noninvasive technique that uses induced electric stimulation to improve bone recovery through the direct and indirect upregulation of bone morphogenic proteins, stimulating bone formation and remodeling. It contributes to the effectiveness of the therapy, promoting accelerated healing, supporting the reduction of bed rest and pain medications, improving patients' quality of life, and reducing the risk to undergo surgery in patients affected by VCFs. Therefore, the aim of this review is to outline the fundamental concepts of multimodal treatment for VCF, as well as the present function and significance of biophysical stimulation in the treatment of VCF patients.

Impact of Alendronate Sodium plus Elcatonin on Postoperative Bone Pain in Patients with Osteoporotic Fractures

Objective

This research aims to investigate and analyze the impact of alendronate sodium (ALN) plus elcatonin (EC) in treating postoperative bone pain (BP) in patients with osteoporotic fractures (OPFs).

Methods

One hundred and thirty-eight cases of OPFs admitted between July 2018 and July 2021 were selected, of which 68 cases receiving ALN were set as the control group and 70 cases receiving ALN plus EC were set as the research group. Intercomparisons were performed in terms of BP, curative effect, complication rate, and serum bone metabolism indexes such as bone Gla protein (BGP), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP).

Results

Better postoperative BP relief, higher overall response rate, and lower complication rate were identified in the research group versus the control group. On the other hand, the research group presented with increased BGP and BALP after treatment, higher than those in the control group, while the posttreament PTH decreased obviously and was lower versus the control group.

Conclusions

For OPF patients, ALN plus EC contributes to significantly reduced postoperative BP, improved clinical efficacy, higher treatment safety, and better bone metabolism, which has high clinical application value.