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E Michael Lewiecki

Publications and source records attributed to E Michael Lewiecki.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Clinical review: Clinical applications of vertebral fracture assessment by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

CONTEXT: Vertebral fracture (VF) is the most common type of fragility fracture, yet most VFs are not clinically apparent. VFs are associated with a significant increase in morbidity, mortality, and risk of future fracture. Many patients with VFs do not have T-scores classified as osteoporosis. Knowledge of VFs may change diagnostic classification, estimation of future fracture risk, and clinical management. VF assessment (VFA) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is a method for imaging the spine to diagnose VFs. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Background information and medical evidence on the technology and clinical applications of VFA was acquired by electronic searching of PubMed for appropriate terms that included vertebral fracture, imaging, diagnosis, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and cost effectiveness. Matches with the highest levels of medical evidence were selected for review, recognizing that the new and evolving nature of the field required inclusion of some material that relied partly on expert opinion. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The sensitivity and specificity of VFA compare favorably with spine radiographs in the ability to diagnose grade 2 and 3 VFs. VFA involves less radiation, lower cost, and often greater patient convenience than spine radiography. Cost effectiveness modeling suggests that imaging of the spine in selected patients provides essential diagnostic and therapeutic information at a nominal cost. Patients with T-scores that are classified as low bone mass (osteopenia) who are selected for pharmacological therapy based on the presence of a VF benefit by reduction in fracture risk. Guidelines for the clinical application of VFA have been developed by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry. CONCLUSIONS: VFA is a technology for diagnosing VFs that may alter diagnostic classification, improve fracture risk stratification, and identify patients likely to benefit from pharmacological therapy who otherwise might not be treated.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Official positions of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and Executive Summary of the 2005 Position Development Conference.

The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) convenes a Position Development Conference (PDC) every two years for the purpose of making recommendations on clinically relevant issues in bone densitometry. Topics for consideration are developed by the ISCD Scientific Advisory Committee and the PDC Steering Committee. Clinically relevant questions related to each topic area are assigned to subcommittees for a comprehensive medical literature review and presentation of a report to an international panel of experts. The expert panel includes representatives of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). The recommendations of the PDC expert panel are evaluated by the ISCD Board of Directors, and those that are approved become Official Positions of the ISCD. The Official Positions have subsequently been endorsed by the ASBMR and IOF. The most recent PDC was held July 15-17, 2005, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Topics considered included technical standardization, vertebral fracture assessment, and application of the 1994 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria to various skeletal sites and to populations other than postmenopausal white women. This report describes the methodology of the 2005 PDC and presents a summary of all ISCD Official Positions.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Vertebral fracture assessment: the 2005 ISCD Official Positions.

Vertebral Fracture Assessment (VFA) is a low radiation method for imaging the thoraco-lumbar spine using bone densitometers. VFA can easily be performed at the time of bone mineral density (BMD) measurement, allowing integration of BMD and vertebral fracture information into clinical patient care. As VFA is a relatively new procedure, it has received limited study and heretofore has not had widespread clinical application. Consequently, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) considered the following VFA issues at the 2005 Position Development Conference: (1) indications for VFA; (2) methodology for the diagnosis of vertebral fractures using VFA; and (3) indications for additional imaging after VFA. The ISCD Official Positions with respect to the above issues, as well as the rationale and evidence used to derive these positions, are presented here.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Standards for performing DXA in individuals with secondary causes of osteoporosis.

This document addresses skeletal health assessment in individuals with secondary causes of osteoporosis. Recommendations are based on consensus of the Canadian Panel of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and invited international experts. Bone mineral density (BMD) testing in these populations is performed in conjunction with careful evaluation of the disease state contributing to bone loss and increased fragility fracture risk, as well as assessment of other contributing risk factors for fracture. The presence of secondary causes of bone loss may further increase the risk of fracture independently of BMD and may necessitate earlier pharmacologic intervention. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is indicated in the initial workup of secondary causes of osteoporosis. The BMD fracture risk relationship is not known for individuals with chronic renal failure (CRF). The BMD testing in this population may be normal in the presence of skeletal fragility, and quantitative bone histomorphometry is better at evaluating skeletal status than BMD in CRF. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is a valuable tool in assessing skeletal health in individuals with secondary causes of osteoporosis.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Denosumab in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density.

BACKGROUND: Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) is essential for osteoclast differentiation, activation, and survival. The fully human monoclonal antibody denosumab (formerly known as AMG 162) binds RANKL with high affinity and specificity and inhibits RANKL action. METHODS: The efficacy and safety of subcutaneously administered denosumab were evaluated over a period of 12 months in 412 postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (T score of -1.8 to -4.0 at the lumbar spine or -1.8 to -3.5 at the proximal femur). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive denosumab either every three months (at a dose of 6, 14, or 30 mg) or every six months (at a dose of 14, 60, 100, or 210 mg), open-label oral alendronate once weekly (at a dose of 70 mg), or placebo. The primary end point was the percentage change from baseline in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine at 12 months. Changes in bone turnover were assessed by measurement of serum and urine telopeptides and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. RESULTS: Denosumab treatment for 12 months resulted in an increase in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine of 3.0 to 6.7 percent (as compared with an increase of 4.6 percent with alendronate and a loss of 0.8 percent with placebo), at the total hip of 1.9 to 3.6 percent (as compared with an increase of 2.1 percent with alendronate and a loss of 0.6 percent with placebo), and at the distal third of the radius of 0.4 to 1.3 percent (as compared with decreases of 0.5 percent with alendronate and 2.0 percent with placebo). Near-maximal reductions in mean levels of serum C-telopeptide from baseline were evident three days after the administration of denosumab. The duration of the suppression of bone turnover appeared to be dose-dependent. CONCLUSIONS: In postmenopausal women with low bone mass, denosumab increased bone mineral density and decreased bone resorption. These preliminary data suggest that denosumab might be an effective treatment for osteoporosis. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00043186.).

Alendronate↗

RANK ligand inhibition with denosumab for the management of osteoporosis.

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) is a cytokine member of the tumour necrosis factor family that is the principal final mediator of osteoclastic bone resorption. It plays a major role in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis, as well bone loss associated with rheumatoid arthritis, metastatic cancer, multiple myeloma, aromatase inhibitor therapy and androgen deprivation therapy. Denosumab (AMG 162) is an investigational fully human monoclonal antibody with a high affinity and specificity for RANKL. By inhibiting the action of RANKL, denosumab reduces the differentiation, activity and survival of osteoclasts, thereby slowing the rate of bone resorption. Denosumab has been shown to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce bone turnover in postmenopausal women with low BMD. Denosumab is a potential treatment for osteoporosis and other skeletal disorders.

Animals↗

Uses and misuses of quantitative ultrasonography in managing osteoporosis.

Quantitative ultrasonography is attractive as a test for osteoporosis, being precise, radiation-free, portable, and inexpensive, but it is still no substitute for the gold-standard test, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). At present, it cannot be used to diagnose osteoporosis or to monitor the effects of medications on bone density. As more data become available, however, it may play a larger role. A thorough understanding of the utility and limitations of this test is necessary for using it effectively in clinical practice.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Monthly oral ibandronate therapy in postmenopausal osteoporosis: 1-year results from the MOBILE study.

UNLABELLED: Once-monthly (50/50, 100, and 150 mg) and daily (2.5 mg; 3-year vertebral fracture risk reduction: 52%) oral ibandronate regimens were compared in 1609 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. At least equivalent efficacy and similar safety and tolerability were shown after 1 year. INTRODUCTION: Suboptimal adherence to daily and weekly oral bisphosphonates can potentially compromise therapeutic outcomes in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Although yet to be prospectively shown in osteoporosis, evidence from randomized clinical trials in several other chronic conditions shows that reducing dosing frequency enhances therapeutic adherence. Ibandronate is a new and potent bisphosphonate with antifracture efficacy proven for daily administration and also intermittent administration with a dose-free interval of >2 months. This report presents comparative data on the efficacy and safety of monthly and daily oral ibandronate regimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MOBILE is a 2-year, randomized, double-blind, phase III, noninferiority trial. A total of 1609 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis were assigned to one of four oral ibandronate regimens: 2.5 mg daily, 50 mg/50 mg monthly (single doses, consecutive days), 100 mg monthly, or 150 mg monthly. RESULTS: After 1 year, lumbar spine BMD increased by 3.9%, 4.3%, 4.1%, and 4.9% in the 2.5, 50 /50, 100, and 150 mg arms, respectively. All monthly regimens were proven noninferior, and the 150 mg regimen superior, to the daily regimen. All monthly regimens produced similar hip BMD gains, which were larger than those with the daily regimen. All regimens similarly decreased serum levels of C-telopeptide, a biochemical marker of bone resorption. Compared with the daily regimen, a significantly larger proportion of women receiving the 100 and 150 mg monthly regimens achieved predefined threshold levels for percent change from baseline in lumbar spine (6%) or total hip BMD (3%). All regimens were similarly well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Monthly ibandronate is at least as effective and well tolerated as the currently approved daily ibandronate regimen in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Early changes in biochemical markers of bone formation predict BMD response to teriparatide in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

UNLABELLED: The relationship between early changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover and the subsequent BMD response to daily teriparatide therapy in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis was studied. Changes in five biochemical markers, obtained from a subset of women enrolled in the Fracture Prevention Trial, were examined. Early increases in the PICP and the PINP were the best predictors of BMD response to teriparatide in this analysis. INTRODUCTION: Early reductions in biochemical markers of bone turnover with antiresorptive therapy negatively correlate with subsequent increases in BMD. We undertook this analysis to determine if early changes in biochemical markers with teriparatide therapy predict subsequent increases in BMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the Fracture Prevention Trial, 1637 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were randomized to receive daily, self-administered, subcutaneous injections of placebo, teriparatide 20 microg/day, or teriparatide 40 microg/day. Serum concentrations of two bone formation markers (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [bone ALP] and the carboxy-terminal extension peptide of procollagen type 1 [PICP]) and urinary concentrations of two bone resorption markers (free deoxypyridinoline [DPD] and N-terminal telopeptide [NTX]) were assessed in a trial population subset (n = 520) at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. We also assessed serum concentrations of another bone formation marker, the amino-terminal extension peptide of procollagen type 1 (PINP), in a subset of 771 women at baseline and 3 months. Lumbar spine (LS) BMD was measured by DXA at baseline and 18 months. Femoral neck BMD was measured at baseline and 12 months. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Baseline bone turnover status correlated positively and significantly with BMD response. The highest correlations occurred for the LS BMD response to teriparatide 20 microg/day. Among all studied biochemical markers, increases in PICP at 1 month and PINP at 3 months correlated best with increases in LS BMD at 18 months (0.65 and 0.61, respectively; p < 0.05). The relationships between these two biochemical markers and the LS BMD response were stronger than the corresponding relationships for the femoral neck BMD response. Using receiver operator curve analysis, we determined that the increases in PICP at 1 month and PINP at 3 months were the most sensitive and accurate predictors of the LS BMD response.

Adult↗

Review of guidelines for bone mineral density testing and treatment of osteoporosis.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are systematically developed statements intended to influence the behavior of health care providers and improve patient care. There are many CPGs with recommendations for selection of patients for bone mineral density testing and pharmacologic treatment of osteoporosis. Health care provider adherence rates for these CPGs are low. The multiplicity of osteoporosis CPGs directed to the same health care providers may play a role in their limited utilization in clinical practice. Similarities, differences, and conflicts in osteoporosis CPGs with wide distribution in the United States were examined. The analysis showed similarities as well as substantial variation in the patient populations addressed, inconsistency of some recommendations, differences in clinical risk factors identified, and sometimes limitations in clinical applications. If the number and diversity of osteoporosis CPGs is adversely affecting their use in clinical practice, then collaboration of stakeholder organizations to develop more consistent CPGs, in combination with systems-based approaches for their implementation, may improve patient care and reduce the burden of osteoporotic fractures.

Bone Density↗

Update on bone density testing.

Bone mineral density (BMD) testing is a noninvasive measurement to diagnose osteoporosis or low bone density, predict fracture risk, and monitor changes in bone density over time. The "gold-standard" technology for diagnosis and monitoring is dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry of the spine, hip, or forearm. Fracture risk can be predicted using a variety of technologies at many skeletal sites. BMD is usually reported as T-score, the standard deviation variance of the patient's BMD compared with a normal young-adult reference population. In untreated postmenopausal women, there is a strong correlation between T-score and fracture risk, with fracture risk increasing approximately two-fold for every standard deviation decrease in bone density. BMD in postmenopausal women is classified as normal, osteopenia, or osteoporosis according to criteria established by the World Health Organization. Standardized methodologies are being developed to establish intervention thresholds for pharmacologic therapy based on T-score combined with clinical risk factors for fracture.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Premenopausal bone health assessment.

The World Health Organization criteria for classification of bone mineral density (BMD) cannot be applied to premenopausal women because the relationship between BMD and fracture risk is not the same as in postmenopausal women. Approximately 2.5% of premenopausal women have BMD that is more than 2.0 standard deviations below the mean BMD of an age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched reference population. Most premenopausal women with low BMD have low peak bone mass and low 5- to 10-year probability of fracture. The management of these patients involves nonpharmacologic lifestyle measures and reassurances that fracture risk is low. A minority of premenopausal women with low BMD have significant elevation of fracture risk, usually a result of contributing diseases, conditions, or medications that may be identified and treated. Premenopausal women with fractures are at increased risk for postmenopausal osteoporosis and fractures later in life.

Adult↗

A randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month study of once-weekly alendronate oral solution for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the overall safety and tolerability of once-weekly (OW) alendronate 70 mg oral solution (OS) versus OW placebo OS. METHODS: Postmenopausal, osteoporotic women were enrolled at 51 centers in the United States in a 6-month double-blind, randomized trial. Patients were randomized (1:1) to OW alendronate 70 mg OS or placebo OS. The primary end point was the proportion of patients reporting any upper gastrointestinal (UGI) adverse event (AE) at 6 months. Secondary end points included mean percentage change in urinary N-telopeptide of type I human collagen (NTx) and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP) at 6 months. RESULTS: Initially, 454 women were enrolled; 392 (86.3%) completed the study. The mean (SD) age was 65.2 (10) years, and the mean (SD) time since menopause was 19.1 (12) years. The proportion of patients experiencing any UGI AE was significantly higher with alendronate OS (23.7%) compared with placebo solution (15.3%), with a treatment difference of 8.3% (95% CI, 0.8%-15.8%; P = 0.024). The proportion of patients experiencing any esophageal AE was 4.0% with alendronate and 3.0% with placebo (treatment difference, 1.0% [95% CI, -2.7% to 4.8%]). In addition, 4.5% of alendronate and 8.7% of placebo patients discontinued the study due to any clinical AE, and 3.3% of alendronate and 1.8% of placebo patients discontinued due to a UGI AE (difference, 1.5% [95% CI, -1.5% to 4.4%]). Alendronate OS produced significantly greater reductions in both NTx and BSAP than placebo (differences, -47.5% and -38.7%, respectively [both, P < 0.001]). CONCLUSIONS: In this 6-month study, patients receiving OW alendronate 70 mg OS had a higher rate of UGI AEs than placebo patients. However, rates of serious UGI AEs, discontinuations due to UGI AEs, and esophageal AEs were similar between groups. UGI AEs in the study were generally mild to moderate in severity and did not result in treatment discontinuation. In addition, OW alendronate 70 mg OS significantly reduced biochemical markers of bone turnover.

Administration, Oral↗

Clinical use of serum and urine bone markers in the management of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a common disease characterized by decreased bone mass, increased bone turnover, and increased susceptibility to fracture. Almost 44 million Americans are estimated to have low bone mass, which puts them at increased risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures. Osteoporosis is diagnosed by a low bone density (BMD) measurement, because a low BMD is known to contribute to increased fracture risk, which is the main source of morbidity and mortality for osteoporosis. However, changes in bone mass and density in response to anti-resorptive therapy account for only a small portion of the predicted fracture risk reduction. Whereas dynamic changes in bone turnover, estimated by measurement of bone biochemical markers, such as breakdown products of type-I collagen and proteins secreted by osteoblasts and osteoclasts in blood and urine, can account for a major portion of anti-fracture efficacy of anti-resorptive agents. Most anti-resorptive agents act by rapidly reducing bone markers. This has led to advocacy for use of bone turnover markers, in complement to BMD measurement, in the management of osteoporosis. In general, higher bone turnover is associated with accelerated bone loss and potential deterioration in bone quality. Several clinical trials have established the potential utility of markers to identify patients with rapid bone loss, to aid in therapeutic decision-making, and to monitor therapeutic efficacy of various treatments. Elevated marker levels have been shown to be associated with increased risk of fracture in elderly women, but their utility in predicting fracture is not yet established. In this article, we provide a brief summary to primary practitioners about the role bone markers can play in the management of osteoporosis.

Biomarkers↗