|
Although bisphosphonate drugs can reduce pain and bone fractures inindividuals with multiple myeloma, no one drug is superior,according to a systematic review of the current evidence of thesedrugs. The review is published in The Cochrane Library. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that grows in and on bones. The disease can cause fractures in the spine and long bones. Bisphosphonate drugs are used toprevent or reduce the occurrence of bone fractures and pain inthese patients and work by inhibiting the activities of osteoclasts(bone cells). The team examined data on 6,692 myeloma patients from 20 trials who took bisphosphonate drugs in additionto their myeloma treatments. The bisphosphonate drugs included: clodronate etidronate zoledronate ibandronate pamidronate The researchers found that patients who took bisphosphnoates hadreduced occurrence of pain and fractures. For all types offractures, between 6 and 15 patients would require treatment inorder to prevent fractures in 1 patient, according to theirestimates, while 5 to 13 patients would need to be treated toreduce pain in 1. 4 of the 20 trials suggested that zoledronate was more effectivethan etidronate at reducing fractures. However, when the team madeindirect comparisons by interrogating the data from the 20 trials(direct comparisons between different drugs; drug vs. placebo; anddrug vs. no treatment), they found no drug to be superior. Lead researcher of the study, Ambuj Kumar of the Center forEvidence Based Medicine and Health Outcomes Research at theUniversity of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, explained: "Whether zoledronate is superior to any other bisphosphonate drugremains an open question. In light of the inconsistencies we see inthe data, it is difficult to recommend any drug as a preferentialtreatment for clinical practice." Although side effects of these drugs seem to be rare, one potentialcomplication is osteonecrosis of the jaw. However, the researchersfound that it is not more prevalent in patients takingbisphosphonate drugs than patients receiving placebo or notreatment. Kumar concluded: "We didn't identify any significant adverse effects, but this workdoes highlight the need for larger head-to-head trials, which areneeded to better compare the safety and effectiveness of thedifferent drugs available." Written By Grace Rattue Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Additional References Citations. I am an expert from joyeetek.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China Diode Laser Hair Removal Machine , China Skin Resurfacing Machine, Laser Tattoo Removal Machines,and more.
Related Articles -
China Diode Laser Hair Removal Machine, China Skin Resurfacing Machine,
|
