PURPOSE

Monthly regimen of minodronate for osteoporosis more than two years has not been reported yet. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effect of monthly minodronate (M-MIN) on bone mineral density (BMD) and serum pentosidine (Pen) during 27 months.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study consisted of 52 newly treated patients (73.3 ± 8.8 years) (new group) and 47 patients (75.9 ± 9.5 years) who were switched from either alendronate or risedronate (switch group). Monthly minodronate (50 mg/every 4 weeks) was administered for 27 months. Lumbar, femoral neck, and total hip BMDs and serum pentosidine were monitored at baseline and after 9, 18, and 27 months of treatment.

RESULTS

In the new condition, lumbar, neck, and total hip BMDs increased significantly by 9.07%, 3.15%, and 3.06%, respectively. Only the lumbar BMD significantly increased in the switch condition. Serum Pen increased in both groups in a time-dependent manner. In the group switch, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the initial change in serum intact procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) at 9 months was an independent predictor of changes in neck and total hip BMDs at 27 months (OR = 1.039, 95% CI 1.003-1.077, p = 0.032 for neck and OR = 1.055, 95% CI 1.009-1.104, p = 0.020 for total hip).

CONCLUSIONS

Monthly minodronate treatment increased BMDs in newly treated patients over 27 months. Serum Pen increased with M-MIN therapy, possibly indicating prolonged bone turnover. The initial 9-month changes in serum P1NP predicted the 27-month changes in hip BMDs when M-MIN replaced alendronate or risedronate.