Prevention of nonvertebral fractures by alendronate - A meta-analysis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of treatment with alendronate sodium, a potent aminobisphosphonate, on the incidence of nonvertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. DATA SOURCES: Published data and data on file at Merck Research Laboratories. STUDY SELECTION: All completed prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled alendronate trials of at least 2 years' duration (5 studies). DATA EXTRACTION: All subjects were women with osteoporosis between the ages of 42 and 85 years, postmenopausal at least 4 years, with lumbar spine bone mineral density (measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) at least 2.0 SD below the mean for young adult women. All women randomized to t..