ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Percutaneous kyphoplasty is the main treatment for senile osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures, but increasing number of patients who have not been treated with anti-osteoporosis therapy after operation develop secondary fractures due to decreased bone mineral density and changes of stress. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the feasibility of consecutive 2-year zoledronic acid treatment following percutaneous kyphoplasty for preventing secondary vertebral fracture. METHODS: 186 elderly patients with thoracolumbar compressive fractures were divided into experimental (n=84) and control (n=102) groups based on their willingness to receive zoledronic acid treatment or not after percutaneous kyphoplasty. The experimental group was treated with calcium and alfacalcidol fololwed by 2 years of zoledronic acid treatment, while only calcium and alfacalcidol treatment was done in the control group. The bone mineral density, pain and function were respectively assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index, and the number of refractures was calculated at baseline and at the 2nd year after the second injection of zoledronic acid. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The bone mineral density, visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index scores at 2 years after treatment in both two groups were significantly superior to those at baseline (P < 0.05). The number of refractures in the experimental group (n=1) was significantly less than that in the control group (n=9) (P < 0.05). These results suggest that zoledronic acid can prevent secondary fractures after percutaneous kyphoplasty in the elderly with osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures, improve long-term function and clinical effectiveness.