Bone Abstracts

Background: Surgical and conservative treatments are both crucial method to deal with osteoporotic fracture, anti-osteoporotic therapy is the most important among conservative treatments and diphosphonate medicine is the first-line choice. The pharmacological action of diphosphonate medicine is to inhibit the function of osteoclast, so there is no consensus if it will inhibit porosis and union of fracture.

Purpose: To find out the influence of diphosphonate medicine to osteoporotic distal radial fracture retrospectively.

Method: From February of 2011 to March of 2014, total 78 patients suffered from distal radial fracture whose age is 57.3±15.8 including 31 male patients and 47 female patients. Open reduction and internal fixation have been performed to all patients; the type of fracture and postoperative bone density both have been recorded. 26 cases used zoledronic acid at 3 days after operation are divided into group A, 16 cases used zoledronic acid at 3 months after operation are divided into group B, 24 cases used alendronate at 3 months after operation are divided into group C, and 10 cases used nothing are divided into group D. We evaluated the union of fracture according to clinical test and radiological data at 3 months and 6 months after operation, and we retest the bone density at 6 months after operation. We chose SPSS17.0 to compare the rate of union and bone density among these groups.

Result: Preoperative type of fracture and bone density have no significant difference among each group. As to union of fracture, the rates of union at 3months after operation are 21/26 (group A), 13/18 (group B), 19/24 (group C), 9/10 (group D), no significant difference has been found. The rates of union at 6 months after operation are 24/26 (group A), 18/18 (group B), 23/24 (group C), 10/10 (group D), no significant difference have been found either. The bone density at 6 months after operation of group A is higher than group D, but no difference has been found.

Conclusion: Applications of diphosphonate medicine at an early stage for osteoporotic distal radial fracture has no significant influence to the union of fracture. Bone density has no significant influence at the early stage either and further observation should be taken.