Many postmenopausal women treated with teriparatide for osteoporosis have previously received antiresorptive therapy. In women treated with alendronate (ALN) or raloxifene (RLX), adding versus switching to teriparatide produced different responses in areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and biochemistry; the effects of these approaches on volumetric BMD (vBMD) and bone strength are unknown. In this study, postmenopausal women with osteoporosis receiving ALN 70 mg/week (n ¼ 91) or RLX 60 mg/day (n ¼ 77) for !18 months were randomly assigned to add or switch to teriparatide 20 mg/day. Quantitative computed tomography scans were performed at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months to assess changes in vBMD; strength was estimated by nonlinear finite element analysis. A statistical plan specifying analyses was approved before assessments were completed. At the spine, median vBMD and strength increased from baseline in all groups (13.2% to 17.5%, p < 0.01); there were no significant differences between the Add and Switch groups. In the RLX stratum, hip vBMD and strength increased at 6 and 18 months in the Add group but only at 18 months in the Switch group (Strength, Month 18: 2.7% Add group, p < 0.01 and 3.4% Switch group, p < 0.05). In the ALN stratum, hip vBMD increased in the Add but not in the Switch group (0.9% versus -0.5% at 6 months and 2.2% versus 0.0% at 18 months, both p 0.004 group difference). At 18 months, hip strength increased in the Add group (2.7%, p < 0.01) but not in the Switch group (0%); however, the difference between groups was not significant (p ¼ 0.076). Adding or switching to teriparatide conferred similar benefits on spine strength in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis pretreated with ALN or RLX. Increases in hip strength were more variable. In RLX-treated women, strength increased more quickly in the Add group; in ALN-treated women, a significant increase in strength compared with baseline was seen only in the Add group. ß

TPTD and ZOL possess fundamentally different mechanisms of action with opposite effects on bone formation based on this analysis of both histomorphometric data and serum markers of bone formation and resorption. An important mechanistic difference was a substantially higher MS/BS in the TPTD group. Overall, these results define the dynamic histomorphometric characteristics of anabolic activity relative to antiresorptive activity after treatment with these two drugs.

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SummaryThis observational study evaluated the occurrence of nonvertebral fragility fractures (NVFX) in over 4,000 men and women with osteoporosis treated with teriparatide (TPTD). The incidence of new NVFX decreased for patients receiving TPTD treatment for greater than 6 months. No new significant safety findings were observed in this large trial.IntroductionThe Direct Assessment of Nonvertebral Fractures in Community Experience (DANCE) study evaluated the occurrence of NVFX in patients receiving TPTD for osteoporosis in a real-world setting.MethodsDANCE is a multicenter, prospective, observational trial that examined the long-term effectiveness of TPTD in men and women with osteoporosis whom study physicians judged to be suitable for TPTD therapy. Patients received 20 μg TPTD per day by subcutaneous injection for up to 24 months and were followed for 24 months after treatment cessation. The incidence of patients experiencing a new NVFX, defined as a fracture associated with low trauma, was evaluated during four 6-month periods in both the treatment and cessation phases with >0 to ≤6 months serving as the reference. We also observed the spectrum and occurrence of serious adverse events.ResultsOf the 4,167 patients enrolled, 4,085 took one or more doses of TPTD (safety population); 3,720 were included in the efficacy analysis. The incidence of patients experiencing a NVFX was 1.42, 0.91, 0.70, and 0.81 % for the four treatment periods, respectively, and 0.80, 0.68, 0.33, and 0.33 % for the four periods after treatment cessation. Differences for each period were statistically significant compared with the reference period (first 6-month interval, each p < 0.05). No new significant safety findings were observed.ConclusionsIn this study, the incidence of NVFX decreased for patients receiving TPTD for all three treatment periods >6 months compared to 0 to ≤6 months, and this trend persisted throughout the cessation phase. TPTD was generally well tolerated.

In addition to previously reported effects on cognitive measures and GH-mediated height gain, childhood estrogen replacement significantly normalized the onset and tempo of puberty. Childhood low-dose estrogen replacement should be considered for girls with Turner syndrome.