Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis prefer once monthly to weekly treatment

Sep 26 2005

Over 70% of postmenopausal women with Osteoporosis who expressed a preference, preferred once-monthly Bonviva, finding it more convenient than a once-weekly treatment. This is according to new data presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Patient preference for once-monthly oral bisphosphonate Bonviva 150mg (ibandronic acid) was clearly demonstrated in results from the BALTO study (Bonviva ALendronate Trial in Osteoporosis), The BALTO study is one of the few studies with a specific objective to compare patient preference for osteoporosis therapy within a clinical trial setting.

BALTO examined the treatment preferences of 342 women and found that, of the 93% who expressed a preference, 71.4% preferred treatment with Bonviva taken once a month and 74.6% found it more convenient than Fosamax (alendronate sodium) taken weekly. The study authors conclude that a less frequent dosing regimen may help patients stay on their osteoporosis treatment for longer.

This is particularly important as many patients find osteoporosis therapy inconvenient, which may help to explain why up to two-thirds of patients stop taking their osteoporosis treatment within a year, oregoing the bone building benefits these drugs can only provide over time.

Poor adherence has a negative effect on treatment outcomes including lower gains in bone mineral density (BMD), smaller decreases in the rate of bone turnover and a significantly greater risk of fractures.

Professor Jean-Yves Reginster, Professor of Epidemiology, Public Health & Health Economics, University of Liege, Belgium commented on the findings: "We know from previous studies that less frequent dosing regimens have a positive impact on patient adherence to bisphosphonate treatments. The BALTO study shows women actually prefer a once-monthly treatment to a weekly and find it more convenient."

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