Bisphosphonates are a major class of medications used in the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis and have been shown to prevent fractures, but their efficacy in women with osteopenia is unknown. In this regard, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in The New England Journal Of Medicine demonstrated that the risk of nonvertebral or vertebral fragility fractures was significantly lower in women with osteopenia who received zoledronate when compared to placebo. In this 6-year study, 2000 women with osteopenia (defined by a T score of −1.0 to −2.5 at either the total hip or the femoral neck on either side) aged 65 years or older were enrolled.
All of them were randomly assigned to receive 4 infusions of either zoledronate at a dose of 5 mg (zoledronate group) or normal saline (placebo group) at 18-month intervals. Moreover, a dietary calcium intake of 1 g per…
