Comparison of Denosumab and Zoledronic Acid in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis: Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and Trabecular Bone Score (TBS)

Update on the clinical use of trabecular bone score (TBS) in the management of osteoporosis: results of an expert group meeting organized by the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO), and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) under the auspices of WHO Collaborating Center for Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging

PURPOSE

Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a grey-level textural measurement acquired from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry lumbar spine images and is a validated index of bone microarchitecture. In 2015, a Working Group of the European Society on Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) published a review of the TBS literature, concluding that TBS predicts hip and major osteoporotic fracture, at least partly independent of bone mineral density (BMD) and clinical risk factors. It was also concluded that TBS is potentially amenable to change as a result of pharmacological therapy. Further evidence on the utility of TBS has since accumulated in both primary and secondary osteoporosis, and the introduction of FRAX and BMD T-score adjustment for TBS has accelerated adoption. This position paper therefore presents a review of the updated scientific literature and provides expert consensus statements and corresponding operational guidelines for the use of TBS.

METHODS

An Expert Working Group was convened by the ESCEO and a systematic review of the evidence undertaken, with defined search strategies for four key topics with respect to the potential use of TBS: (1) fracture prediction in men and women; (2) initiating and monitoring treatment in postmenopausal osteoporosis; (3) fracture prediction in secondary osteoporosis; and (4) treatment monitoring in secondary osteoporosis. Statements to guide the clinical use of TBS were derived from the review and graded by consensus using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

A total of 96 articles were reviewed and included data on the use of TBS for fracture prediction in men and women, from over 20 countries. The updated evidence shows that TBS enhances fracture risk prediction in both primary and secondary osteoporosis, and can, when taken with BMD and clinical risk factors, inform treatment initiation and the choice of antiosteoporosis treatment. Evidence also indicates that TBS provides useful adjunctive information in monitoring treatment with long-term denosumab and anabolic agents. All expert consensus statements were voted as strongly recommended.

CONCLUSION

The addition of TBS assessment to FRAX and/or BMD enhances fracture risk prediction in primary and secondary osteoporosis, adding useful information for treatment decision-making and monitoring. The expert consensus statements provided in this paper can be used to guide the integration of TBS in clinical practice for the assessment and management of osteoporosis. An example of an operational approach is provided in the appendix. This position paper presents an up-to-date review of the evidence base, synthesised through expert consensus statements, which informs the implementation of Trabecular Bone Score in clinical practice.

RANKL Inhibition Reduces Cardiac Hypertrophy in mdx Mice and Possibly in Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Cardiomyopathy has become one of the leading causes of death in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We recently reported that the inhibition of the interaction between the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) significantly improves muscle and bone functions in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. RANKL and RANK are also expressed in cardiac muscle. Here, we investigate whether anti-RANKL treatment prevents cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in dystrophic mdx mice. Anti-RANKL treatment significantly reduced LV hypertrophy and heart mass, and maintained cardiac function in mdx mice. Anti-RANKL treatment also inhibited NFκB and PI3K, two mediators implicated in cardiac hypertrophy. Furthermore, anti-RANKL treatment increased SERCA activity and the expression of RyR, FKBP12, and SERCA2a, leading possibly to an improved Ca2+ homeostasis in dystrophic hearts. Interestingly, preliminary post hoc analyses suggest that denosumab, a human anti-RANKL, reduced left ventricular hypertrophy in two patients with DMD. Taken together, our results indicate that anti-RANKL treatment prevents the worsening of cardiac hypertrophy in mdx mice and could potentially maintain cardiac function in teenage or adult patients with DMD.

Denosumab versus zoledronic acid in elderly patients after hip fracture

BACKGROUND

Two injectable anti-osteoporosis medications, denosumab and zoledronic acid, have been widely used to treat patients with severe osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and adherence of denosumab compared to zoledronic acid in geriatric patients after a hip fracture.

METHODS

A total of 282 patients treated with osteoporotic hip fracture between March 2014 and Aug 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were asked to select the anti-osteoporosis medication after surgery. Treatment persistence was monitored by follow-up visit to the outpatient clinic at postoperative 2 years.

RESULTS

Of 282 individuals with baseline data, 162 patients took subcutaneous denosumab and 120 patients took intravenous zoledronic acid. At postoperative 2 years, the change in bone mineral density (BMD) from baseline was greater in the denosumab group compared with the zoledronic acid group (p < 0.001). The rate of persistence to denosumab was significantly higher than that for 12-months zoledronic acid (p = 0.01). Serious adverse events were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed the effectiveness and patients' persistence for two commonly used anti-osteoporosis agents after hip fracture. In this frail, elderly population, half-yearly denosumab was superior to yearly zoledronic acid in BMD and demonstrated significant higher persistence rate, indicating a potential therapeutic advantage that warrants further validation.

Long-term consequences of osteoporosis therapy with denosumab

Denosumab (DMAb) is a human monoclonal antibody used as an antiresorptive drug in the treatment of osteoporosis. Approval at a dosage of 60 mg every 6 months was based on the results of the randomized, placebo-controlled trial (FREEDOM). The design of this 3-year study included an extension for up to 10 years. Those who were randomized to DMAb continued on drug, while those who were randomized to placebo transitioned to DMAb. The 10-year experience with DMAb provides data on efficacy of drug in terms of reduced fractures and continued increases in bone mineral density (BMD). The 10-year experience with denosumab also provides information about rare complications associated with the use of DMAb, such as osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), and atypical femoral fractures (AFF). This experience provided new insights into the reversibility of effects upon discontinuation without follow-on therapy with another agent. This review focuses upon prolonged treatment with DMAb, with regard to beneficial effects on fracture reduction and safety. Additionally, its use in patients with impaired renal function, compare its results with those of bisphosphonates (BPs), the occurrence/frequency of complications, in addition to the use of different tools, from imaging techniques to histological findings, to evaluate its effects on bone tissue.