Zoledronate for the Prevention of Bone Loss in Women Discontinuing Denosumab Treatment. A Prospective 2‐Year Clinical Trial

ABSTRACT Cessation of denosumab treatment is associated with increases in bone turnover above baseline values and rapid bone loss. We investigated the efficacy of zoledronate to prevent this bone loss in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis who were treated with denosumab (mean duration 2.2 years) and discontinued treatment after achieving osteopenia. Women were randomized to receive a single 5‐mg infusion of zoledronate (ZOL) (n = 27) or two additional 60‐mg injections of denosumab (Dmab) (n = 30). Both groups were followed for a total period of 24 months. At 24 months lumbar spine–bone mineral density (LS‐BMD) was not different from baseline in the ZOL group, but decreased in the Dmab group by (mean ± SD) 4.82% ± 0.7% (p