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Once-weekly teriparatide effective for postmenopausal osteoporosis
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Once-weekly treatment with teriparatide in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis appears to be effective for increasing bone mineral density at the lumbar spine, according to findings of a pilot study published in Endocrine Practice.
Sanjay Kumar Bhadada, MD, DM, professor in the department of endocrinology of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in India, and colleagues evaluated 26 women (mean age, 63.2 years) with postmenopausal osteoporosis (mean time since menopause, 16 months; 8% with previous history of fragility fracture) assigned weekly teriparatide (Forteo, Lilly) 60 µg for 2 years to determine the effect of the treatment on BMD and bone turnover markers. Participants’ BMD was measured at baseline, 12 and 24 months.
Mean serum parathyroid hormone levels and serum calcium levels did not significantly change from baseline at 2 years.
At 1 year, BMD increased by 3.1% at the lumbar spine and decreased by 5.6% at the right hip and 2.1% at the left hip from baseline. At 2 years, BMD increased by 10.8% at the lumbar spine and decreased by 3.5% at the right hip and 4.6% at the left hip from baseline.
From baseline, serum type 1 collagen C-terminal propeptide increased significantly by 6 months, peaked at 1 year and then decreased. From baseline to 6 months, serum C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen levels decreased significantly and remained suppressed at 2 years.
Transient hypercalcemia developed in two participants within 24 hours after their first teriparatide dose but resolved in 24 hours.
“Weekly teriparatide therapy is efficacious and may be cost-effective for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis,” the researchers wrote. “Compared to the daily teriparatide, weekly teriparatide therapy appears to have a sustained anabolic bone window and [is] certainly cost-effective.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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