Predictive Value of Bone Turnover Markers During Discontinuation With Alendronate (PROSA)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03051620 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : February 14, 2017
Last Update Posted : August 26, 2019
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Osteoporosis | Drug: Discontinue alendronate |
Background:
Osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures. Alendronate reduces the risk of both vertebral- and hip fractures by approximately 50%. It has, however, become evident that long-term anti-resorptive may lead to serious side effects such as atypical femoral fractures or osteonecrosis of the jaw. The alendronate extension study (FLEX) showed that despite stopping treatment after five years the anti-fracture efficacy regarding non-vertebral and radiological vertebral fractures persists for an additional five years in patients with bone mineral density (BMD) T-score > -2.5 at the femoral neck, no fractures during treatment, and no previous vertebral fracture. It is therefore now clinical practice, that treatment is discontinued after five years in patients that fulfil these criteria. Based on the alendronate extension study it was assumed, that bone turnover monitored by biochemical markers would stay suppressed for years after stopping treatment, however, other studies have demonstrated that there is a great variability in the change in bone turnover markers seen after stopping treatment with alendronate in a real-life setting.
Aim:
To investigate the predictive value of markers of bone turnover on bone loss 12 months after stopping alendronate therapy.
Methods:
The study is a cohort study comprising 136 patients with osteoporosis stopping treatment with alendronate.
Perspectives:
The study will contribute with new knowledge about biochemical markers of bone turnover as predictors of bone loss after stopping treatment with alendronate. It will thus be possible to identify patients who will experience a decrease in BMD during treatment break, and for this particular group of patients treatment can be re-initiated earlier so further loss of bone will be avoided. On the other hand, the biochemical markers of bone turnover could also shed light on who can tolerate treatment break, thereby avoid long-term treatment with alendronate, which may be associated with serious side effects. Finally, the use of blood samples rather than DXA will reduce the use of X-rays.
Study Type : | Observational |
Actual Enrollment : | 136 participants |
Observational Model: | Cohort |
Time Perspective: | Prospective |
Official Title: | Predictive Value of Bone Turnover Markers During Discontinuation With Alendronate |
Actual Study Start Date : | February 1, 2017 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | January 31, 2019 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | January 31, 2019 |

- Drug: Discontinue alendronate
136 patients with osteoporosis stopping treatment with alendronate.
- Carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX) [ Time Frame: One year ]To what extent changes in the biochemical bone turnover marker carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX) three and six months after stopping alendronate treatment predict changes in total hip BMD after one year.
- Carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX) [ Time Frame: One year ]To what extent baseline CTX (biochemical bone turnover marker carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks) when stopping alendronate treatment predicts changes in total hip BMD after one year.
- Procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) [ Time Frame: One year ]To what extent changes in the biochemical bone turnover marker procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) three and six months after stopping alendronate treatment predict changes in total hip BMD after one year.
- Ratio CTX/PINP [ Time Frame: One year ]To what extent changes in the ratio CTX/PINP (biochemical bone turnover markers) 3 and 6 months after stopping alendronate treatment predict changes in total hip BMD after one year.
- Bone turnover [ Time Frame: 3, 6, and 12 months. ]The proportion of the study population in which bone turnover increases to above premenopausal/young adult reference levels after 3, 6, and 12 months.
- BMD [ Time Frame: one year ]The proportion of the study population who loses BMD beyond least significant change in lumbar spine and total hip.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 50 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Sampling Method: | Probability Sample |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Postmenopausal women (postmenopausal for at least two years)
- Men above 50 years
- Treatment for at least five years with alendronat
- BMD T-score total hip > -2.5
- BMD T-score lumbar spine (L1-L4) > -4
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any low-energy fracture within the previous five years during alendronat treatment (not including fingers, toes, or skull)
- Low-energy vertebral fracture at any time
- Low-energy hip fracture at any time
- Ongoing treatment with glucocorticoids
- Metabolic bone disease
- Hormone replacement therapy
- Cancer
- Other conditions affecting bone metabolism

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03051620
Denmark | |
Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital | |
Aarhus, Denmark, 8000 |
Study Director: | Bente L Langdahl, MD PhD DMSc | Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark |
Responsible Party: | Anne Sophie Sølling, MD, PhD student, Aarhus University Hospital |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03051620 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2016-003110-27 |
First Posted: | February 14, 2017 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | August 26, 2019 |
Last Verified: | August 2019 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Undecided |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Bone turnover markers Alendronate Drug Holiday |
Osteoporosis Bone Diseases, Metabolic Bone Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases |
Metabolic Diseases Alendronate Bone Density Conservation Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs |