Clinical Publications

Visit this page regularly to stay informed about the latest publications in osteoporosis care.

Welcome to the Clinical Publications page, your go-to resource for staying updated with the latest advancements in osteoporosis and fragility fracture care. Here, we feature summaries of the most interesting and impactful new clinical publications from around the globe. Our goal is to provide healthcare professionals with easy access to cutting-edge research and evidence-based practices that can inform and enhance patient care.

The first study we have reviewed is titled “A person-centred consultation intervention to improve shared decision-making about, and uptake of, osteoporosis medicines (iFraP): a pragmatic, parallel-group, individual randomised controlled trial protocol”. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the iFraP intervention on shared decision-making (SDM) in osteoporosis treatment. The iFraP intervention consists of a Decision Support Tool (DST), clinician training, and patient information resources, all aimed at enhancing SDM during Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) consultations in the UK. The trial’s primary objective is to assess how the intervention affects patients’ ease in decision-making about osteoporosis medicines, using the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS). The study also examines the cost-effectiveness of the intervention compared to standard National Health Service care, alongside patient-reported outcomes, medicine adherence, and implementation processes.

This approach could be highly beneficial for FLS in New Zealand, where integrating a similar DST and clinician training could enhance patient engagement in decision-making, leading to improved adherence to osteoporosis treatments and potentially better long-term outcomes.

For more details, you can access the full study here.

As women approach menopause, the thinning of bones can lead to fractures, a significant concern for long-term health. Recent research has shown that a single infusion of zoledronate—a medication that slows bone loss—can make a difference. In a groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, women in their 50s with below-average bone density (T-score < 0) experienced ~30% fewer fractures over a 10-year period. These findings support the use of zoledronate as a potential strategy for fracture prevention in postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis-related fractures.

For more details, visit PubMed.