This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Diabetes drug may increase risk for bone fractures in older women
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Women with type 2 diabetes who take a commonly prescribed class of medications to treat insulin resistance may be at a higher risk for developing bone fractures, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Investigators at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit discovered that women who took thiazolidinedione (TZD) for 1 year were 50% more likely to have a bone fracture than patients who did not take TZD. In addition, they found that those at the greatest risk for fractures from TZD use are women older than 65 years.
Age factors
“Older women are already at a higher risk of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures, which might explain why they appeared to be the most affected by TZDs,” L. Keoki Williams, MD, MPH, a senior author for the study and a member of the Center for Health Services Research and Department of Internal Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital, stated in a release.
The retrospective study involved one of the largest groups to examine the longitudinal relationship between TZD use and fractures, the researchers noted.
They studied 19,070 patients at the hospital between January 2000 and May 2007. The study group included 9,620 women and 9,450 men.
During the study period, 4,511 patients had at least one prescription filled for a TZD. The investigators used electronically maintained medical claims data to identify nontraumatic bone fractures.
They found that the increased risk for fracture in women appeared after approximately 1 year of TZD use.
Location
The investigators also noted that the fracture locations were unique, as TZD use in women was associated with fractures in the upper and distal lower extremities. They observed similar findings in treated women older than 65 years, who were shown to have a 70% increased risk for developing fractures.
Men, regardless of age, were not at an increased risk for fractures.
“Fractures are just one of a growing number of problems with these medications,” Williams stated in the release. “If the physician feels the patient should be placed on a TZD, routine screening for bone loss and prophylactic therapy to prevent bone loss and fractures may be needed.”
- Reference:
Habib ZA, Havstad SL, Wells K, et al. Thiazolidinedione Use and the Longitudinal Risk of Fractures in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published online Jan. 8, 2010.
