The Efficacy of Minodronate in the Treatment of Glucocorticoid-induced Osteoporosis

Objective To investigate the efficacy of minodronate in the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO). Methods The study population included patients in whom the administration of minodronate (50 mg, once every 4 weeks) had been newly started for the treatment of GIO in Niigata Rheumatic Center from 2012 to 2015. Patients who were bisphosphonate-naïve and those who switched from other bisphosphonates were classified into the naïve and switch groups, respectively. The changes in the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolic markers after one year of minodronate treatment were retrospectively evaluated. We also compared the BMD and bone turnover marker changes of minodronate-naïve patients with those in whom alendronate or risedronate had been prescribed as a first bisphosphonate (control group). Results Minodronate was prescribed to 142 patients, and data were successfully obtained from 120 patients. New vertebral fractures were observed in 5 of the 142 patients; 1 fracture occurred during the cessation of minodronate for dental treatment, and 3 patients already had multiple vertebral fractures before the initiation of minodronate. The patients' tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b) (-27.0%, p