Ombretta Viapiana

Intravenous neridronate in children with osteogenesis imperfecta: a randomized controlled study.

In a randomized controlled study, we investigated the effect of treatment with intravenous neridronate in prepubertal children with OI. Our study suggests that quarterly intravenous infusions of the bisphosphonate significantly raise the rate of increase in BMD at both the spine and hip, the projected area of the lumbar vertebrae, and height. These results are associated with a significant decrease in the risk of clinical fractures.

Sclerostin and DKK1 in postmenopausal osteoporosis treated with denosumab

The bone mass benefits of antiresorbers in postmenopausal osteoporosis are limited by the rapid coupling of decreasing bone resorption with bone formation. Wnt signaling is involved in this coupling process during treatment with bisphosphonates, whereas its role during treatment with the anti‐receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL) antibody denosumab is unknown. The study population includes patients participating in a placebo‐controlled trial lasting 36 months: 19 women were on placebo and 24 on subcutaneous 60 mg denosumab every 6 months. All measured parameters (serum C‐terminal telopeptide of type I collagen [sCTX], serum bone alkaline phosphatase [bAP], Dickkopf‐1 [DKK1], and sclerostin) remained unchanged during the observation period in the placebo group. sCTX and bAP were significantly suppressed by denosumab treatment over the entire follow‐up. Denosumab treatment was associated with significant (p < 0.05) increases (28% to 32%) in serum sclerostin over the entire study follow‐up. Serum DKK1 significantly decreased within the first 6 months with a trend for further continuous decreases, which reached statistical significance (p < 0.05) versus placebo group from the 18th month onward. The changes in DKK1 were significantly and positively related with the changes in sCTX and bAP and negatively with hip bone mineral density (BMD) changes. The changes in sclerostin were significantly and negatively related only with those of bAP. The changes in bone turnover markers associated with denosumab treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with significant increase in sclerostin similar to those seen after long‐term treatment with bisphosphonates and significant decrease in DKK1. This latter observation might explain the continuous increase over 5 years in BMD observed during treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with denosumab.

The waning of teriparatide effect on bone formation markers in postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with increasing serum levels of DKK1.

CONTEXT The effect of teriparatide (TPD) on bone turnover is initially exuberant but then diminishes. TPD is thought to stimulate bone formation by down-regulating the expression of specific Wnt antagonists, such as of sclerostin and Dickkopf-1 (DKK1). OBJECTIVE Our objective was to determine whether long-term treatment with TPD is associated with increasing serum levels of either sclerostin or DKK1. DESIGN AND SETTING Ancillary observation was made of patients participating in a randomized clinical trial. PATIENTS, INTERVENTION, AND OUTCOMES: Fifty-five women with postmenopausal osteoporosis were randomly allocated to treatment for 18 months with either TPD 20 μg daily or placebo. RESULTS In the TPD group, both N-propeptide of type I collagen and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen rose significantly by 108 and 175% within the first 6 months. At month 18, the mean values decreased significantly compared with month 12 (-10 and -12%, respectively), but they were still significantly higher than baseline (+84 and 152%, respectively). Sclerostin remained stable over the entire study period in both groups. DKK1 did not change during the first 6 month of treatment, but only in the active group, it rose significantly at month 12 (median change +26.9%) and remained elevated at month 18 (+29.7%), at the time when the pharmacological effect of treatment with TPD appeared to be declining. CONCLUSION Long-term (>12 months) treatment with TPD is associated with an increase in serum levels of DKK1 that might be associated with the appearance of declining effect on bone formation markers.

Bone mineral density, bone turnover markers and fractures in patients with indolent systemic mastocytosis

OBJECTIVE We systematically assessed bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers (BTM), and fractures in a large cohort of patients with Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis (ISM). METHODS Eighty-two patients (mean age 48 years, 37 women) with ISM were studied. BMD was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and proximal hip. The serum markers of bone turnover included bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, C-telopeptides of type I collagen, and serum osteocalcin. Previous clinical fractures were registered and spine X-ray was obtained from all patients. RESULTS Three women were excluded for concomitant diseases associated to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis according with the WHO classification (T-score<-2.5) was found in 16 patients (20.0%) (7 females and 9 men). Mastocytosis-related low BMD (Z-score at either the spine or the hip<-2) was found in 3 women (9%) and 13 men (28%). The BMD was generally lower at the spine than at the hip. No significant correlation was observed between serum tryptase levels and T or Z-score BMD. One or more moderate or severe vertebral fractures were found in 17 patients (12 men); in 11 of them Z-score values were>-2 or not valuable at the spine. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of mastocytosis-related low BMD and/or vertebral fractures between patients with or without skin involvement. Two patients had radiographic and densitometric osteosclerosis-like characteristics. In osteoporotic patients higher, normal or lower serum BTM were found, without correlations with serum tryptase levels, while in patients with osteosclerosis both BTM and serum tryptase values were particularly increased. CONCLUSIONS Vertebral osteoporosis and fractures are frequent in patients with ISM. Spine X-ray and densitometric examination are warranted in all patients, also without skin involvement and particularly in males; Z-score other than T-score BMD must be evaluated. Patients with idiopathic osteoporosis should be evaluated for mast cell disease. Both high than low BTM can be observed in patients with osteoporosis while osteosclerosis is characterized by high bone turnover and serum tryptase levels.

Bisphosphonate treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with a dose dependent increase in serum sclerostin.

The benefits coming from long-term treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with bisphophonates are limited by a coupled decrease in bone formation. The objective of this study is to determine whether this decrease in bone formation is associated with changes in serum levels of the WNT signaling antagonist sclerostin or Dickkopf-1 (DKK1). This is an ancillary observation from patients participating in a 12 months, phase 2, randomized clinical trial. We analyzed 107 patients given either monthly intramuscular neridronate (12.5, 25 or 50 mg) or placebo. Serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (sCTX, a bone-resorption marker) decreased by 61%, 75% and 73% in the 12.5, 25 and 50 mg dose groups, respectively. Mean changes in bone alkaline phosphatase (bAP) at 12 months were -47%, -60.0% and -52.6% in the groups receiving 12.5, 25 or 50 mg neridronate, respectively. Serum DKK1 remained unchanged at all time points in the 3 groups. Serum sclerostin increased versus placebo group gradually and significantly only in patients treated with 25 or 50 mg neridronate monthly, reaching 138-148% of baseline values (P<0.001). Changes in serum sclerostin at 12 months were negatively correlated with changes in bAP (P<0.001) even when data were adjusted for sCTX changes and only treated patients were included. In conclusions, decreased bone formation after several months of bisphosphonate therapy is associated with increased serum levels of sclerostin. This might suggest that Wnt signaling may play a role in the coupling between resorption and formation.

Short-Term Effects on Bone Turnover Markers of a Single High Dose of Oral Vitamin D3

CONTEXT Vitamin D deficiency is often treated or prevented by high intermittent doses of vitamin D to achieve a better treatment adherence, but treatment outcomes were contradictory, and even a transient increase in fracture and fall risk was reported. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the short-term effects on bone turnover markers of a single bolus of vitamin D₃. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS, AND INTERVENTION Twelve elderly subjects (eight women, four men; mean age 76 ± 3 yr) were given a single oral bolus of 600,000 IU vitamin D₃. Blood samples were taken at baseline and 1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60, and 90 d after vitamin D₃ administration. Twenty-four subjects served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes in serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, PTH, C-terminal-telopeptides of type I collagen, cross-linked N-telopeptide of type I collagen (sNTX), osteocalcin, and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. RESULTS No relevant changes in 25OHD and bone turnover markers were observed in the controls. In treated subjects, serum 25OHD attained a peak increment to 67.1 ± 17.1 ng/ml (P < 0.001) at d 3. Subsequently it slowly decreased to 35.2 ± 5.8 ng/ml (P <0.01 vs. a baseline value of 21.7 ± 5.6 ng/ml). Mean serum PTH concentration decreased by 25-50% and serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D rose by 25-50%. Serum CTX and sNTX rose significantly at d 1 (P < 0.01), they attained a peak increment greater than 50% at d 3, and they subsequently decreased almost back to baseline values at d 90. Serum osteocalcin slightly rose within the first 3 d and then declined by d 60. No changes were observed in serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that the use of large doses of vitamin D may be associated with acute increases in C-terminal-telopeptides of type I collagen and sNTX, which may explain the negative clinical results obtained by using intermittent high doses of vitamin D to treat or prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 is associated with bone formation markers, PTH and bone mineral density in healthy premenopausal women

Bone turnover markers (BTM) progressively decrease in young adult women. This might be linked to changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I). Four serum BTMs [serum C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX), osteocalcin (OC), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP), and bone alkaline phosphatase (bone AP)], serum calcium (sCa), phosphate (sPO(4)), magnesium, 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) and IGF-I were measured in 531 young healthy premenopausal women aged 20-50 years participating in the BONTURNO study. In all subjects bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the spine and at the hip by dual-energy X-ray densitometry. Hip BMD, IGF-I, the four BTMs, sCa and sPO(4) progressively decreased with advancing age and this was associated with proportional increases in PTH. IGF-I levels were significantly and positively correlated with sCa, sPO(4), CTX, OC, P1NP, bone AP, spine BMD, femoral neck BMD and total hip BMD and negatively with age, BMI and serum PTH. When the IGF-I levels were adjusted for age and BMI, the only correlations maintaining a statistical significance were those with serum PTH, P1NP and bone AP. These associations were weak and IGF-I accounted for a only a small proportion of the BTM variance. The mean, age-adjusted IGF-I values were significantly higher in women practicing physical exercises for more then 60 min per week than in sedentary women. In conclusion, in this study we provide evidence of an association between the age-related decline in IGF-I with the progressive decrease in bone formation markers in premenopausal women.

Circulating γδ T cells and the risk of acute‐phase response after zoledronic acid administration

The use of intravenous nitrogen‐containing bisphosphonates (N‐BPs) is associated with the appearance of an acute phase response (APR) in a proportion of the patients for reasons that are poorly understood. The APR was attributed to the indirect activation of γδ T cells with the release of interferon‐γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Forty patients with postmenopausal or senile osteoporosis (age range = 53–91 years) never previously treated with intravenous (iv) bisphosphonate, received a single 5‐mg zoledronic acid (ZOL) iv infusion over 15 minutes. White blood cells were counted and analyzed with an automated hematology analyzer (ADVIA 2120i Siemens, New York, USA) and by flow cytometer (BD FACSCanto, Becton Dickinson). The occurrence of APR was defined by the occurrence of fever (>37 °C) during the next 2 days. Forty‐two percent of patients (17 of 40) receiving the infusion of ZOL experienced an APR. Compared with the others they were younger (69 ± 7 years versus 74 ± 8 years; p = 0.06), and both the proportion and absolute number of γδ T cells were significant higher (p = 0.02 and p = 0.013, respectively). Nonsignificant differences were found between the two groups for white blood cells and for the other circulating lymphocyte subpopulations. Age was inversely correlated with circulating γδ T cells (p = 0.003) but the difference between the two groups in circulating γδ T cells persisted for age‐adjusted values and vice versa. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that the number of circulating γδ T cells, together with age, are important determinant of the occurrence of APR after intravenous infusion of ZOL and possibly of any other N‐BPs.

Bone Involvement and Osteoporosis in Mastocytosis

Bone involvement is frequent in patients with systemic mastocytosis. Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone manifestation, but diffuse osteosclerosis or focal osteolytic or osteosclerotic lesions are not infrequent. The risk of osteoporotic fractures is high, especially at the spine and in men. Routine measurements of bone mineral density and vertebral morphometry are warranted. The bone turnover markers indicate the involvement of complex bone metabolism in mastocytosis-related manifestations. Bisphosphonates represent the first-line treatment for osteoporosis-related mastocytosis.

Intra-articular clodronate for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: dose ranging study vs hyaluronic acid

OBJECTIVE Bisphosphonates may have a chondroprotective effect in patients with knee OA (KOA), but the results of clinical trials with oral bisphosphonates have been contradictory. In this Phase 2 randomized, partially blind clinical trial, we tested the efficacy of IA clodronate vs HA in patients with primary KOA. METHODS One hundred and fifty men or women aged 50-75 years suffering from KOA were randomized to one of five IA therapies: (i) clodronate 0.5 mg one IA injection/week for 4 weeks; (ii) clodronate 1 mg one IA injection/week for 4 weeks; (iii) clodronate 2 mg one IA injection/week for 4 weeks; (iv) clodronate 1 mg two IA injections/week for 2 weeks (clodronate 1 + 1 mg); and (v) HA 20 mg one IA injection/week for 4 weeks. RESULTS Visual analogue scores (VASs) for different types of pain and the Lequesne index significantly improved in all treatment groups after the first injection and continued to improve even 2-4 weeks after the last injection without significant difference among the groups. A significant (P = 0.03) linear trend for a dose-response (0.5-2 mg clodronate) relationship was found for active movement VAS pain. Both joint extension and mobility scores improved significantly at all time points in all treatment groups without statistical differences among them. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that IA clodronate provides symptomatic and functional improvements at least as good as those obtained with HA. Trial Registration. Osservatorio Nazionale sulla Sperimentazione Clinica dei Medicinali - Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco. Comitato Etico Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese number CLIO 22/02 http://oss-sper-clin.agenziafarmaco.it.