Osteoporosis

tCLINICS 2011;66(4):579-582

DOI:10.1590/S1807-59322011000400010

CLINICAL SCIENCE

The relationship between bisphosphonate use and demographic characteristics of male osteoporosis patients
Alev Cevikoi,I Ebru Umay,II Sevgi Polat,I Oznur Ecerkale,I Aytul CakciI
Ministry of Health Ankara Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic,Ankara, Turkey. II Ankara Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara, Turkey.
I

˙ INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate a number of demographic characteristics in males with osteoporosis (OP) treated with bisphosphonate and determine whether any of these measures could act as an effective indicator of medicationpersistence and compliance. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Among the patients with OP who applied to our clinic and were prescribed weekly oral bisphosphonate treatment, 89 patients over 50 years of age were included in this study. The demographic characteristics of these patients were evaluated. The number of medications used by the patients over the past 1 and 3 years were counted, and the persistence andcompliance with bisphosphonate treatment was estimated. The patients were divided into two groups: fully compliant and noncompliant subjects. The two groups of patients were compared separately for 1 and 3 years while considering their demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The mean age of the 89 patients included in the study was 62.43¡9.41 years. Comparisons among the studied demographiccharacteristics during the 1-year period of medication use indicated that the educational status of the fully compliant patients was higher. During the 3-year period of medication use, educational status was the only demographic characteristic that was determined to be significantly lower in the noncompliant patients than in the fully compliant group. CONCLUSION: Although deficiencies in medication persistenceand compliance during osteoporosis treatment can lead to serious health and social problems in both genders, the causes of these deficiencies have not been thoroughly clarified. We suggest that the educational status of the patient may contribute to these deficiencies. KEYWORDS: Osteoporosis; Bisphosphonates; Medication adherence; Medication persistence; Treatment effectivenes.
Cevikol A, UmayE, Polat S, Ecerkale O, Cakci A. The relationship between bisphosphonate use and demographic characteristics of male osteoporosis patients. Clinics. 2011;66(4):579-582. Received for publication on October 3, 2010; First review completed on December 6, 2010; Accepted for publication on January 4, 2011 E-mail: ebruumay@gmail.com Tel.: 90 3125962000

INTRODUCTION
Osteoporosis (OP) is a structuralinsufficiency of the bones that is characterized by low bone mass and the impairment of the micro-architectural structure of the bony tissue, leading to increased bone fragility.1,2 Because the increase in bone fragility also increases morbidity and mortality, an accurate early diagnosis and the initiation of an effective mode of treatment are the basic aims of OP treatment.3 Bisphosphonates arecommonly used to treat and prevent OP because of their low number of side effects and their ability to inhibit bone resorption.4 They are stable pyrophosphate analogs that decrease bone destruction by binding to

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hydroxyapatite crystals in the bone.5 It has been demonstrated in the literature that these medications decrease the formation of new fractures and increase the bone mineral density (BMD).6,7 Despite the reported effectiveness of bisphosphonates for...