A new meta-analysis determined around one year as the minimal timing of bisphosphonate therapy for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis to obtain benefit.

Researchers analyzed 10 randomized clinical trials which involved 23,384 women. It was noted that 12.4 months on bisphosphonate therapy were needed to avoid one nonvertebral fracture per 100 postmenopausal women, with an absolute risk reduction (ARR) of 0.010. Moreover, protection against fracture seemed to improve over treatment duration. There was 1.0 nonvertebral fracture prevented per 100 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis taking bisphosphonate treatment at 12 months, while this climbed to 1.5 fractures by 18 months of therapy. The findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine… (Medpage Today)