Teriparatide's effects on quantitative ultrasound parameters and bone density in women with established osteoporosis

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Teriparatide in the context of osteoporosis and bone density in this randomized controlled trial publication.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of teriparatide [hPTH (1-34)] on quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters and bone mineral density (BMD) at the axial and appendicular (hand) skeleton in women with established osteoporosis who had been previously treated with antiresorptive drugs.

Why It Was Studied

Sixty postmenopausal women (age 71.1+/-6.8 years) were randomly assigned to either receive once-daily 20-mug subcutaneous teriparatide (n=30) or continue the antiresorptive treatment (n=30).

At baseline and at 2-month intervals the researchers measured QUS parameters at the calcaneus using the Achilles Plus (GE, Lunar), measuring speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), and stiffness index; QUS parameters at the phalanxes using the Bone Profiler (IGEA), measuring amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS), bone transmission time (BTT), and fast wave amplitude (FWA); and BMD values at the right hand using dual x-ray absorptiometry.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were older adults, women only.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Teriparatide and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

BMD at the lumbar spine, femur, and whole body were measured on a 6-monthly basis.

What Was Measured

At baseline and at 2-month intervals the researchers measured QUS parameters at the calcaneus using the Achilles Plus (GE, Lunar), measuring speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), and stiffness index; QUS parameters at the phalanxes using the Bone Profiler (IGEA), measuring amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS), bone transmission time (BTT), and fast wave amplitude (FWA); and BMD values at the right hand using dual x-ray absorptiometry.

The subject headings attached to it are Bone Density, Bone Density Conservation Agents, Femur Neck, Hip Joint, Lumbar Vertebrae, Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal and Teriparatide.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Teriparatide in people with osteoporosis and bone density.

The publication is from 2006 (Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA), a journal based in England.

More context: the Teriparatide compound page, Osteoporosis and bone density research.