Osteoporosis and venous thromboembolism: a retrospective cohort study in the UK General Practice Research Database

• Published in: Osteoporosis international Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 1181 - 1187
• Main Authors: Breart, G, Cooper, C, Meyer, O, Speirs, C, Deltour, N, Reginster, J. Y
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: London London : Springer-Verlag 01.07.2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Science & Business Media B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alendronate - therapeutic use; Alendronate sodium; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Body mass index; Bone Density Conservation Agents - adverse effects; Bone Density Conservation Agents - therapeutic use; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; Cardiology. Vascular system; Chronic illnesses; Cohort analysis; Confidence intervals; Dictionaries; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Endocrinology; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; General & internal medicine; GPRD; Human health sciences; Humans; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Médecine générale & interne; Organometallic Compounds - adverse effects; Organometallic Compounds - therapeutic use; Original; Original Article; Orthopedics; Osteoporosis; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - complications; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - drug therapy; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - epidemiology; Osteoporosis. Osteomalacia. Paget disease; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Population; Practice research; Prescriptions; Rheumatology; Risk factors; Sciences de la santé humaine; Sodium; Strontium ranelate; Thiophenes - adverse effects; Thiophenes - therapeutic use; Thromboembolism; United Kingdom - epidemiology; Venous thromboembolism; Venous Thromboembolism - epidemiology; Venous Thromboembolism - etiology; Womens health; United Kingdom > UK; Strontium ranelate; Osteoporosis; GPRD; Alendronate sodium; Risk factors; Venous thromboembolism; Antiosteoporotic; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Deep vein thrombosis; Cardiovascular disease; Venous disease; Vascular disease; Alendronic acid; Antiosteoclastic agent; Sodium; Cohort study; Risk factor; Database; General practice; Venous thrombosis; Thromboembolism
• ISSN: 0937-941X; 1433-2965; 1433-2965
• DOI: 10.1007/s00198-009-1050-7

Summary In a retrospective cohort study using the General Practice Research Database (GPRD), there was a greater association of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in osteoporotic than in non-osteoporotic female patients. No greater association was shown in treated patients with strontium ranelate or alendronate compared to untreated osteoporotic female patients. Introduction We explored the risk of VTE in usual practice in osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic women with and without anti-osteoporotic treatment. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using the GPRD in the UK. The cohorts consisted of untreated osteoporotic women (N = 11,546), osteoporotic women treated with alendronate (N = 20,084), or strontium ranelate (N = 2,408), and a sample of non-osteoporotic women (N = 115,009). Cohorts were compared using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results There was a significantly increased relative risk for VTE in untreated osteoporotic women versus non-osteoporotic women (annual incidence 5.6 and 3.2 per 1,000 patient-years, respectively; relative risk 1.75 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-1.84]). Results were confirmed using adjusted models. The annual incidences of VTE in osteoporotic patients treated with strontium ranelate and alendronate were 7.0 and 7.2 per 1,000 patient-years, respectively, with no significant difference between untreated and treated patients whatever the treatment. Adjusted hazard ratios for treated versus untreated osteoporotic women were 1.09 (95% CI, 0.60-2.01) for strontium ranelate and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.63-1.33) for alendronate. Conclusion This study shows a greater association of VTE in osteoporotic compared to non-osteoporotic patients, but does not show any greater association in treated patients with strontium ranelate or alendronate compared to untreated osteoporotic patients.