title: Decrease in outpatient department visits and operative interventions due to bisphosphonates in children with osteogenesis imperfecta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bisphosphonates are currently the medical treatment most often used in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). The purpose of this retrospective pre-post study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with bisphosphonates. We measured the effect by evaluating the number of outpatient department consultations and operative interventions before and after treatment with bisphosphonates in children with OI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient department consultation and operative intervention frequencies before and after treatment with bisphosphonates were registered. Children who had at least 2 years of medical records before treatment and at least 2 years after treatment were used in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 118 children who were treated with bisphosphonates, 51 (23 boys and 28 girls) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis revealed a significant decrease in outpatient department consultations (P < 0.000) and operative intervention (P < 0.003) before and after bisphosphonate treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pre-post design of our study shows a significant reduction of the number of outpatient department consultations and operative interventions in patients with OI after treatment with bisphosphonates.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital (University Medical Center Utrecht), P.O. Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: de Graaff
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Verra
authors: J E H
authors: JE
authors: Pruijs
authors: R J B
authors: RJ
authors: Sakkers
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