[Evaluation methods of therapeutic effects of drugs for osteoporosis].

"The guideline for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis 2011" shows methods and precautions for evaluations of therapeutic effects of drugs for osteoporosis, in terms of bone mineral measurements, bone turnover markers, and vertebral deformities and fractures. Bone mineral measurements are effective, but responsible for just some part of the observed reduction in the risk of vertebral fracture. Bone turnover markers enable early and easy evaluations for the effectiveness of drugs, such as bone-resorption inhibitors or bone-formation accelerators. In particular, TRACP-5b and P1NP are user-friendly, because of small daily and day-to-day variations, as well as large amount of changes with therapy. SQ methods are well designed for X-ray evaluations of vertebral deformities and fractures with high convenience and reproducibility, good for not only epidemiological study, but daily practice.