title: Effect of ibandronate on bending strength and toughness of rodent cortical bone: Possible implications for fracture prevention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There remains conflicting evidence regarding cortical bone strength following bisphosphonate therapy. As part of a study to assess the effects of bisphosphonate treatment on the healing of rat tibial fractures, the mechanical properties and radiological density of the uninjured contralateral tibia was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Skeletally mature aged rats were used. A total of 14 rats received 1µg/kg ibandronate (iban) daily and 17 rats received 1 ml 0.9% sodium chloride (control) daily. Stress at failure and toughness of the tibial diaphysis were calculated following four-point bending tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Uninjured cortical bone in the iban group had a significantly greater mean (standard deviation (sd)), p < 0.001, stress at failure of 219.2 MPa (sd 45.99) compared with the control group (169.46 MPa (sd 43.32)) following only nine weeks of therapy. Despite this, the cortical bone toughness and work to failure was similar. There was no significant difference in radiological density or physical dimensions of the cortical bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iban therapy increases the stress at failure of uninjured cortical bone. This has relevance when normalising the strength of repair in a limb when comparing it with the unfractured limb. However, the 20% increase in stress at failure with iban therapy needs to be interpreted with caution as there was no corresponding increase in toughness or work to failure. Further research is required in this area, especially with the increasing clinical burden of low-energy diaphyseal femoral fractures following prolonged use of bisphosphonates. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:99-104.
authors.affiliation: Northern Deanery Orthopaedic Training Programme, Waterfront 4, Goldcrest Way, Newburn Riverside, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE15 8NY, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Savaridas
authors.affiliation: MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: University of Edinburgh, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK.
authors.forename: A H R W
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Simpson
keywords: Bisphosphonate; Cortical Bone; Remodelling; Stress at failure; Toughness