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Alendronate is more effective than elcatonin in improving pain and quality of life in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

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Abstract

Summary

A randomized controlled trial was performed to compare the short-term effects of alendronate (ALN) and ECT on pain and quality of life (QOL) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Back pain and QOL [Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8)] significantly improved at 1, 3, and 6 months in both groups, with greater improvements in the ALN group than in the ECT group. These results suggested that ALN reduced back pain and improved QOL more markedly than ECT in postmenopausal osteoporotic women with back pain.

Introduction

Intramuscular ECT is known to reduce pain via the central nervous system. A multicenter randomized controlled trial was performed to compare the short-term effects of ALN and ECT on pain and QOL in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Methods

One hundred and 94 postmenopausal osteoporotic women with back pain (mean age 79.8 years, range 60–96 years) were randomly divided into two groups: the ALN group (35 mg weekly) and the ECT group (intramuscular 20 units a week). The duration of the study was 6 months. The trial was completed in 97 (100%) women of the ALN group and 96 (99.0%) women of the ECT group. Urinary levels of cross-linked N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), face scale score (FSS, back pain), and SF-8 (QOL) were monitored.

Results

Urinary NTX levels significantly decreased at 3 months in the ALN group, but not in the ECT group. Serum ALP levels significantly decreased at 6 months in the both groups, with a greater reduction in the ALN group. The FSS and SF-8 significantly improved at 1, 3, and 6 months in both groups, with greater improvements in the ALN group than in the ECT group.

Conclusions

ALN suppressed bone turnover, reduced back pain, and improved QOL more markedly than ECT in postmenopausal osteoporotic women with back pain.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mr. Toshihiro Yamaguchi and other members of the Tokyo Branch of MSD Japan for their assistance in the preparation of the trial. The use of SF-8™ Health Survey (Standard, Japanese version) was permitted by QualityMetric and Shunichi Fukuhara. SF-8™ Health Survey (Standard, Japanese version), Copyright ©1999, 2000, 2003 by QualityMetric and Shunichi Fukuhara. All rights reserved. SF-8™ is a trademark of QalityMetric.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Integrated Sports Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan

    J. Iwamoto, T. Takeda & H. Matsumoto

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keiyu Orthopaedic Hospital, Gunma, Japan

    J. Iwamoto

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    K. Makita

  4. Department of Neurology, Mitate Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan

    Y. Sato

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  1. J. Iwamoto
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  2. K. Makita
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  4. T. Takeda
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Correspondence to J. Iwamoto.

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Iwamoto, J., Makita, K., Sato, Y. et al. Alendronate is more effective than elcatonin in improving pain and quality of life in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int 22, 2735–2742 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-010-1495-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-010-1495-8

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