Asian Spine Journal (Aug 2015)

More than 6 Months of Teriparatide Treatment Was More Effective for Bone Union than Shorter Treatment Following Lumbar Posterolateral Fusion Surgery

  • Seiji Ohtori,
  • Sumihisa Orita,
  • Kazuyo Yamauchi,
  • Yawara Eguchi,
  • Nobuyasu Ochiai,
  • Kazuki Kuniyoshi,
  • Yasuchika Aoki,
  • Junichi Nakamura,
  • Masayuki Miyagi,
  • Miyako Suzuki,
  • Gou Kubota,
  • Kazuhide Inage,
  • Takeshi Sainoh,
  • Jun Sato,
  • Yasuhiro Shiga,
  • Koki Abe,
  • Kazuki Fujimoto,
  • Hiroto Kanamoto,
  • Gen Inoue,
  • Kazuhisa Takahashi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4184/asj.2015.9.4.573
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 4
pp. 573 – 580

Abstract

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Study DesignRetrospective case series.PurposeTo examine the most effective duration of teriparatide use for spinal fusion in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.Overview of LiteratureWe reported that daily subcutaneous injection of teriparatide (parathyroid hormone) significantly improved bone union after instrumented lumbar posterolateral fusion (PLF) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis when compared with oral administration of bisphosphonate. However, the most effective duration of teriparatide use for spinal fusion has not been explored.MethodsForty-five women with osteoporosis diagnosed with degenerative spondylolisthesis from one of the three treatment groups were evaluated based on: short-duration treatment (average, 5.5 months; n=15; daily subcutaneous injection of 20 µg teriparatide), long-duration treatment (average, 13.0 months; n=15; daily subcutaneous injection of 20 µg teriparatide), and bisphosphonate treatment (average, 13.0 months; n=15; weekly oral administration of 17.5 mg risedronate). All patients underwent PLF with a local bone graft. Fusion rate and duration of bone union were evaluated 1.5 years after surgery.ResultsBone union rate and average duration for bone union were 92% and 7.5 months in the long-duration treatment group, 80% and 8.5 months in the short-duration treatment group, and 70% and 10.0 months in the bisphosphonate treatment group, respectively. Results of bone union rate and average duration for bone union in the teriparatide treatment groups were significantly superior to those in the bisphosphonate treatment group (p<0.05); whereas, significantly superior results were observed in long-duration treatment group when compared with short-duration treatment group (p<0.05).ConclusionsDaily injection of teriparatide for bone union was more effective than oral administration of bisphosphonate. Furthermore, a longer period of teriparatide treatment for bone union was more effective than a shorter period of same treatment.

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