Abstract
Bone anabolic effects of teriparatide (TPTD, rhPTH (1-34) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis may be blunted by previous exposure of bone to alendronate (ALN). Paired biopsies were obtained after tetracycline double labeling at baseline and after 24 months of TPTD treatment from 29 ALN-pretreated (64.5 +/- 16.4 months) and 16 treatment naïve patients (TN).
Biochemical markers were measured at baseline, during the treatment, or at study end. The level of increased bone formation after 24 months of treatment with TPTD was similar in patients who were either treatment-naive or had lower bone turnover initially due to previous alendronate therapy.
Elevated bone formation in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis was sustained over a 24-month period by TPTD. Biochemical markers of bone formation are a good surrogate for the assessment of TPTD effects.