Monthly or weekly bisphosphonate? Evaluation of satisfaction in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis using OPSAT-Q questionnaire during the BOOSTER study in Croatia

A prospective, open-labelled, multicentre 6-month study was designed to assess three categories that have high impact on Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL). These categories were: satisfaction, preference and drug tolerability in postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis in Croatia, at first treated with weekly oral bisphosphonates, followed by monthly oral ibandronate. Three hundred eighty-five postmenopausal women who were treated with one of the weekly bisphosphonates for at least 6 months were included into the study and after they had signed written informed consent, the therapy was changed to monthly ibandronate. Satisfaction with the treatment was assessed with the Osteoporosis Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (OPSAT-Q). Patients completed OPSAT-Q at the baseline visit before the change of therapy (visit 1) and 6 months after the change of therapy (visit 2). Following 6 months ibandronate therapy, the values in all four domains of the OPSAT-Q (convenience, confidence with daily activities, overall satisfaction, side effects) as well as in the Composite Satisfaction Score were higher in visit 2 (p < 0.001). Values in subjects enrolled into the patient assistance programme did not differ significantly from the values in subjects that were not (p = 0.399) except for the domain convenience (p = 0.026). This study demonstrates significantly higher satisfaction in patients who switched from the weekly bisphosphonate therapy regimen to monthly ibandronate in all observed aspects of treatment. Patients expressed preference for monthly bisphosphonate (ibandronate) in comparison with weekly bisphosphonates and found it to be a more convenient method of treatment. At the time of study, however, it was not known that the anti-fracture effect of ibandronate was smaller for hip fractures than with other bisphosphonates.