Effects of intermittent administration of pamidronate on the mechanical properties of canine cortical and trabecular bone.

The mechanical properties of cortical and trabecular bones from beagles treated with the bisphosphonate pamidronate (administered intermittently 1 week every month for 3 months, at a dosage of 0.45 mumol/kg/day) were assessed. The mechanical properties of cortical bone were measured by four-point bending tests on femoral quadrants, in order to measure their elastic modulus and ultimate stress. The structural properties of whole tibias were measured in torsion to determine the torsional stiffness and failure torque. The elastic modulus and maximum compressive stress of the trabecular bone samples were measured by compression tests of trabecular cores. Intermittent treatment with pamidronate did not change the pattern of mechanical properties that occurs naturally around the femur or the torsional stiffness and failure torque of the tibias. By contrast, pamidronate did significantly increase the modulus of elasticity (by 19%) and maximum compressive stress (by 33%) of vertically aligned cylindrical trabecular specimens taken from the vertebrae of the beagles.