Study: FORTEO Effective in Osteoporosis Patients

According to new research osteoporosis drug Forteo was effective at increasing bone density in in arthritis patients with osteoporosis. Forteo is made by Eli Lilly and was more effective that osteoporis drug Fosamax.

Dr Kenneth Saag, professor Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), led the study. His research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Saag's clinical trial lasted 18 moths. More than 420 osteoporosis patients (men and women) participated in his study. Half of participants took Forteo (20 mg by injection) and half Fosamax (10 mg orally).

The researchers evaluated different parameters related to osteoporosis such as changes in bone mineral density of the lower spine, markers of bone turnover, and the time it took for changes in density to occur. Also, the number of breaks and measures of safety were analyzed.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects mainly women but may develop in men. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced, the bone structure is altered and the amount and variety of proteins in bones is reduced.

All these bone changes, caused by osteoporosis, increases the risk of bone fracture in osteoporosis patients. Typically, osteoporosis related fractures occur in the vertebral column, hip and wrist without any previous symptoms.

Osteoporosis may be prevented with lifestyle changes and some medication. Osteoporosis can be treated with bisphosphonates and various other medical treatments such as Forteo and Fosamax. Currently, Forteo is approved for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

All the measured parameters were positively affected by Forteo medication. Here a summary of the main results found in Dr Saag's study:

A commomn measure of osteoporosis (lumbar spine bone mineral density) increased more patients who took Forteo when compared to patients who took Fosamax. The increase was almost double that of Fosamax (Forteo 7.2 vs. 3.4 Fosamax).