A new combination drug therapy has been found to cut the risk of bone fractures among post-menopausal women with severe osteoporosis. Post-menopausal women are at the highest risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures, which can be debilitating and even have fatal outcomes. As bone loss occurs over the years, the risk of fractures drastically increases.
There is no cure for osteoporosis and that is why the results of the recent study are so profound. The researchers found that by combining anabolic medications romosozumab and antiresorptives, bone mass was regenerated.
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The researchers randomly assigned 4,093 women with osteoporosis and fragility fractures to one of two groups over the course of two years.
The first group received romosozumab for one year. Romosozumab is intended to help rapidly build bone mass by increasing bone formation and decreasing bone resorption. These patients also received an antiresorptive agent that helps maintain existing bone mass. The second group only received antiresorptives.
The researchers found that the women on the combined therapy had a 48 percent lower rate of new vertebral fractures compared to the second group of women. The first group also had a 19 percent lower risk of nonvertebral fractures and 38 percent lower risk of hip fractures.
Professor Andrew Karaplis concluded, “Keeping patients at a constant bone mass isn’t adequate when they are already suffering from osteoporosis and their bones aren’t strong enough to resist fracture. We anticipated less fractures if we first succeeded in increasing the patient’s bone mass followed by a regimen to sustain it.”
Related: Can osteoporosis be reversed? 12 natural ways to treat osteoporosis
