Alendronate, risedronate compared in BMD trial: the 1-year study did not provide data on fractures; clinical relevance of BMD findings questioned.(Gynecology)

SEATTLE -- Alendronate appears slightly more effective than risedronate at increasing bone mineral density, according to the results of a head-to-head trial presented during the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

However, without fracture data, it's unknown whether such BMD findings will translate into a clinically meaningful difference.

In the double-blinded study involving 1,053 postmenopausal women treated for 1 year, alendronate increased BMD at the hip trochanter by a mean of 3.4%, and risedronate increased trochanter BMD by a mean of 2.1%.

The investigation, known as the Fosamax Actonel Comparison Trial, was conducted with patients from 78 different centers, said Clifford J. Rosen, M.D., who is the director of the Maine Center of Osteoporosis Research and Education, Bangor.

Patients received either 70 mg of alendronate and placebo risedronate once weekly or 35 mg risedronate and placebo alendronate once weekly.

In addition to the hip trochanter, BMD measurements were taken for the total hip, lumbar spine, and femoral neck. BMD was increased a mean 2.2% in the active alendronate group, versus a mean 1.2% in the active risedronate group.

Lumbar spine BMD increased a mean 3.7% with alendronate, versus 2.6% with risedronate. In addition, femoral neck BMD increased a mean 1.6% with alendronate and 0.9% with risedronate, he said.