Cincinnati, Ohio; Bridgewater, N.J. (June 20, 2002) Postmenopausal women with low spinal bone mineral density (BMD) and no previous history of vertebral fracture, who received Actonel (risedronate sodium tablets) 5 mg daily for up to three years, were 75 percent less likely to experience a first vertebral fracture than women in the control group, according to a new analysis. Published in the June issue of the journal Osteoporosis International, the results confirm the fracture reduction efficacy of Actonel in patients without vertebral fractures.

Vertebral fractures are among the most common osteoporotic fractures. In the U.S., an estimated 700,000 vertebral fractures occur every year. Data show that among postmenopausal women who sustain a vertebral fracture, one out of five will suffer their next vertebral fracture within just one year, potentially leading to a fracture cascade.

"Osteoporosis, long considered a slow developing disease, can actually progress quickly once a fracture occurs. The ability to prevent a first fracture is crucial for clinicians in the fight against osteoporosis. This is extremely important since osteoporosis affects more than 10 million people in the U.S.," said Robert Heaney, MD, of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. "This 75 percent reduction in the risk of first fracture helps confirm that Actonel is a clinically significant treatment for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis."

The analysis assessed the risk of the first vertebral fracture in 640 postmenopausal women enrolled in four previously reported studies. The women had low lumbar spine BMD (T score <-2.5) and no vertebral fractures at baseline. The Actonel 5 mg daily, placebo-controlled studies ranged in duration from 1.5 to 3 years.

First vertebral fractures were observed in only 2.6 percent of the women who received Actonel 5 mg daily compared to 9.4 percent in the control group (which translates to a 75 percent risk fracture r
'"/>


20-Jun-2002

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. New system for the analysis of facial movement in three dimensions
2. Re-analysis of large trials shows greatest benefit of chemotherapy in ER-negative tumors
3. Fatally flawed legal analysis will not stand
4. Subanalysis finds patient-controlled, transdermal pain management system may be comparable
5. New analysis links breastfeeding to reduced risk of childhood leukemia
6. Calling for standards in cardiology data collection and analysis
7. OHSU receives grant to study evolutionary computing for biomedical image analysis
8. HPV testing helps identify potential cases of cervical cancer, meta-analysis suggests
9. A common cleanser is cheaper and faster way to separate DNA for genetic analysis
10. Large-scale analysis of women with androgen excess: thorough treatment can reduce symptoms
11. New Commonwealth Fund analysis compares candidtes health care reform proposals