Metabolic bone disease: atypical femoral fractures.
Since 2005 reports have been published describing unusual femoral shaft fractures primarily in postmenopausal women treated for prolonged periods with a bisphosphonate drug for osteoporosis. In some patients pain develops in the femur prior to a completed fracture. Bilateral fractures have occurred in some patients. It is unclear whether oversuppression of bone cell activity is a major factor in the pathogenesis of the fractures, or whether these are a rare manifestation of the underlying bone disease. Such fractures do occur in other metabolic bone disorders in which there are marked abnormalities of bone structure.
John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, USA. singer@yahoo.com
Frederick R
FR
Singer
D000368:Aged; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001706:Biopsy; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000503:physiopathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000069448:Denosumab; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005269:Femur / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D010024:Osteoporosis; D017698:Postmenopause; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D004164:Diphosphonates; D053245:RANK Ligand; D000069448:Denosumab; D019386:Alendronate