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Published in: Osteoporosis International 3/2007

01-03-2007 | Original Article

Compliance with osteoporosis drug therapy and risk of fracture

Authors: D. Weycker, D. Macarios, J. Edelsberg, G. Oster

Published in: Osteoporosis International | Issue 3/2007

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Abstract

Introduction

Patient compliance with osteoporosis drug therapy is often poor in clinical practice and may be associated with higher risk of fracture.

Methods

A nested case-control study was undertaken using a US health insurance claims database. The source population included all women aged ≥45 years who began drug therapy for osteoporosis. Cases consisted of those who experienced an osteoporosis-related fracture; they were matched to controls without osteoporosis-related fracture. Compliance with osteoporosis drug treatment was assessed in terms of the number of therapy-days received and medication possession ratio (MPR). Conditional logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between compliance and fracture risk.

Results

A total of 453 women with osteoporosis-related fracture were identified and matched to 2,160 controls. Fracture risk was significantly lower for patients with >180 days of therapy [181–360 days: odds ratio (OR) = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.49–0.99; >360 days: OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.43–0.99) versus those with ≤30 days. Risk was also lower for patients with MPR ≥90% (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.52–0.93) versus those with MPR <30%. Fracture risk decreased as compliance increased (ptrend < 0.05).

Conclusion

Among women initiating drug therapy for osteoporosis, better compliance is associated with reduced risk of fracture.
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Metadata
Title
Compliance with osteoporosis drug therapy and risk of fracture
Authors
D. Weycker
D. Macarios
J. Edelsberg
G. Oster
Publication date
01-03-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Osteoporosis International / Issue 3/2007
Print ISSN: 0937-941X
Electronic ISSN: 1433-2965
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-006-0230-y

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