ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Currently, vertebral compression fractures are the most common osteoporotic fracture in postmenopausal women;however, incidence of refracture has aroused increasing attention due to a lack of standard treatment. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate whether vertebroplasty combined with anti-osteoporosis treatment can reduce refracture rate fol owing osteoporotic vertebral compressive fractures. METHODS:Eighty-nine patients with osteoporotic vertebral compressive fractures undergoing vertebroplasty were divided into control group (n=38) and treatment group (n=51) after making an informed choice about treatment. Chest/lumbar X-ray and bone mineral density determinations were performed through outpatient or inpatient fol ow-up. The spinal stability, bone mineral density and refracture rate of patients in both groups were fol owed up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Seventy-eight patients achieved complete fol ow-up (ranged from 6-39 months, average 26.73 months). There was no significant difference in the spinal stability between both groups (P>0.05), while rare bone trabecula was found in the control group. There was a significant difference in bone mineral density between both groups at postoperative 12, 24, and 36 months (P<0.05). The refracture rate in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Our results indicate that anti-osteoporosis treatment can effectively reduce the incidence of refracture after vertebroplasty in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compressive fractures, and this study found satisfactory short-and medium-term clinical outcomes.