Atypical Fracture of the Femur (AFF) And OsteoNecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) Are Rare

Atypical Fracture of the Femur (AFF) and OsteoNecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) are rare complications of Untreated Osteoporosis.  They also occcur rarely in patients treated with long term Antiresorptives including: Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, Allendronate, Ibandronate, Atelvia, Reclast, and Prolia, at a higher, but still very low, rate.  Neither has been reported in Evista.  Forteo is commonly used as a treatment for AFF and ONJ.

AFF and ONJ are rare even in patients treated for Osteoporosis with Antiresorptive medications.  Rates are estimated at between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000.  Let’s label AFF (X),  ONJ (Z), and patients with neither (O).  Here is a graphic representation, if the worst case estimate is correct:

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOZOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

These are very rare problems, even in patients on Antiresorptive Osteoporosis Medications for over 5 years.  Fractures from Osteoporosis in patients Not taking Medications are much more common.  See the Graphics for women and men.

Jay Ginther, MD

Categorised in: Fracture, Medications, Osteoporosis