Journal of International Medical Research (Apr 2021)

Is vitamin K a treatment choice for atypical femoral fractures in patients with secondary osteoporosis?

  • Bingzhang Wang,
  • Jiahao Tang,
  • Sheji Weng,
  • Liang Chen,
  • Zongyi Wu,
  • Zhongjie Xie,
  • Lei Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605211001643
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 49

Abstract

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An atypical femoral fracture (AFF) is a rare complication associated with excessive inhibition of osteoclast expression during treatment of osteoporosis. We herein describe a patient who had been treated with alendronate for more than 10 years and subsequently developed an AFF that healed after treatment with vitamin K 2 (VK2). We also discuss the potential beneficial effects of VK2 on the healing of AFFs. A 48-year-old Asian man with secondary osteoporosis was treated with alendronate for more than 10 years. The patient underwent surgical treatment for a complete AFF of the right femur. Six months postoperatively, he complained of pain in his left thigh. X-ray examination revealed an incomplete AFF of the left femoral shaft. He was then treated with VK2. After 4 months of VK2 treatment, the patient reported that the pain in his left thigh had decreased, and follow-up X-ray examination demonstrated healing of the left AFF line. This case report indicates that VK2 may be a potential direction for pharmacological treatment of AFFs in future research.