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Title: High-Dose Risedronate (Actonel) Appears to Delay Joint Destruction in Knee Osteoarthritis: Presented at ACR

"High-Dose Risedronate (Actonel) Appears to Delay Joint Destruction in Knee Osteoarthritis: Presented at ACR"

By Bruce Sylvester SAN DIEGO, CA -- November 18, 2005 -- High doses of the osteoporosis drug risedronate (Actonel) appears to delay joint destruction, the precursor to joint replacement surgery, in patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to research presented here at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting (ACR). Risedronate is indicated for prevention of fractures and to increase bone density in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Senior investigator Christopher Buckland-Wright, PhD, professor of radiological anatomy, King's College London, London University, United Kingdom, presented the study's findings on risedronate in patients with knee osteoarthritis at a press briefing on November 16[^th.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether, and at what doses, risedronate might halt or reverse the bone destruction associated with the loss of cartilage, thereby lowering the risk of joint collapse.

"It appears that risedronate, given in high doses, can preserve underlying bone for those patients with marked joint space narrowing," Dr. Buckland-Wright explained.

The investigators randomized 100 subjects with joint space narrowing due to knee osteoarthritis to 1 of 3 doses of risedronate: 5 mg/day, 15 mg/day, or 50 mg once per week -- or placebo. They were followed for 2 years.

Results show that risedronate 15 mg/day or 50 mg once/week halted and even reversed torbicular bone loss. The placebo and 5-mg arms did not show similar benefit.

"These findings imply the need for further studies of this potentially very helpful treatment for this group of patients," Dr. Buckland-Wright concluded.

[Presentation title: Risedronate Protects Against Subchondral Bone Loss in OA Knee Patients With Progressive Joint Space Narrowing. Abstract 1204]

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