Effect of teriparatide in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Background and purpose: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of teriparatide on the incidence of fractures and bone density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Materials and methods: A clinical trial was performed in all postmenopausal women aged 45-75 years old with osteoporosis attending a teaching hospital affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. The participants were divided into control and experimental groups (30 patients per group). The experimental group received daily subcutaneous injection of teriparatide (CinnoPar® pen 250 mg, eight units) for six months. Patients in the control group received alendronate 70 mg weekly for six months. Fractures and densitometry were measured at baseline and after six months in both groups. Results: Bone densitometry values in spine and femoral neck at baseline and after six months were significantly different between the experimental and control groups. Bone densitometry values increased dramatically in both groups. Alendronate significantly improved bone densitometry values of femoral neck after six months compared to baseline (p>0.002). Teriparatide significantly improved bone densitometry values of the spine after six months compared to the baseline (p>0.001), but did not have a significant effect on bone densitometry of femoral neck compared to baseline (p>0.085). Conclusion: Alendronate, calcium and vitamin D supplements are the first choices in treatment of osteoporosis in menopausal women. As the second-line treatment for osteoporosis, teriparatide could be used alone to relieve pain and improve bone density (especially in the spine) in postmenopausal women.