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Denosumab versus zoledronic acid in patients previously treated with zoledronic acid

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Abstract

Summary

Denosumab and zoledronic acid are potent antiresorptives. In this study in patients pre-treated with zoledronic acid, denosumab achieved similar increases with zoledronic acid in lumbar spine BMD despite the more prominent reduction of bone turnover markers. Denosumab reversibly reduced endogenous RANKL.

Introduction

We aimed to compare yearly changes in lumbar spine (LS) bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers, free soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (sRANKL) and sclerostin levels between denosumab and zoledronic acid.

Methods

Postmenopausal women with low bone mass previously treated with zoledronic acid for 1 year were assigned to denosumab injection (n = 32) or zoledronic acid infusion (n = 26). Procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTx), sRANKL, and sclerostin levels were measured in serum samples obtained at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months after denosumab injection or zoledronic acid infusion. LS BMD was measured at baseline and 12 months.

Results

The mean LS increase was 4.5 and 4.4 % with denosumab and zoledronic acid, respectively (p = 0.560). Denosumab caused a larger decrease in CTx at 3 months (p < 0.001) and P1NP at 3 (p < 0.001), 6 (p = 0.021), and 12 months (p = 0.042). Denosumab significantly decreased sRANKL by 87.4 % at 3 months (p < 0.001). Sclerostin levels were not changed with either intervention (p = 0.162 and p = 0.214, respectively).

Conclusions

In patients previously treated with zoledronic acid, denosumab reduces bone turnover more than zoledronic acid, but the increases in LS BMD are comparable. Furthermore, denosumab administration results in reversible inhibition of the metabolically significant endogenous free soluble RANKL levels. Serum sclerostin is not affected by either agent.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Roche Diagnostics Hellas for providing us the kits for the measurements of CTx, P1NP, PTH, and 25(OH)D.

Conflicts of interest

Athanasios D. Anastasilakis has received lecture fees and research grant from Amgen and lecture fees from Lilly; Stergios A. Polyzos has received lecture fee and research grant from Amgen; Athina Gkiomisi, Zacharias G. Saridakis, Dimitrios Digkas, Ilias Bisbinas, Grigorios T. Sakellariou, Athanasios Papatheodorou, and Panagiotis Kokkoris have nothing to declare. Polyzois Makras has received lecture fees and research grants from Amgen, and lecture fees from Glaxo, Lilly, Pfizer, Leo, Genesis, ELPEN, VIANEX. Neither Amgen nor Novartis had any implication in any stage of this study (study’s conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting, or revising the manuscript).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, 424 General Military Hospital, Ring Road, 564 29 N.Efkarpia, Thessaloniki, Greece

    A. D. Anastasilakis

  2. Second Medical Clinic, Department of Medicine, Ippokration General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    S. A. Polyzos

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 424 General Military Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    A. Gkiomisi

  4. Hellenic Military School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Z. G. Saridakis & D. Digkas

  5. 1st Department of Orthopaedics, 424 General Military Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    I. Bisbinas

  6. Department of Rheumatology, 424 General Military Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    G. T. Sakellariou

  7. Department of Medical Research, 251 Hellenic Air Force & VA General Hospital, Athens, Greece

    A. Papatheodorou & P. Kokkoris

  8. Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, 251 Hellenic Air Force & VA General Hospital, Athens, Greece

    P. Makras

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  1. A. D. Anastasilakis
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  2. S. A. Polyzos
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  3. A. Gkiomisi
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  9. P. Kokkoris
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Correspondence to A. D. Anastasilakis.

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Anastasilakis, A.D., Polyzos, S.A., Gkiomisi, A. et al. Denosumab versus zoledronic acid in patients previously treated with zoledronic acid. Osteoporos Int 26, 2521–2527 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3174-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3174-2

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