Report title
THE TREATMENT OF SYMPTOMATIC
OSTEOPOROTIC SPINAL COMPRESSION
FRACTURES
GUIDELINE AND EVIDENCE REPORT
Adopted by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Board of Directors
September 24, 2010
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Disclaimer
This Clinical Practice Guideline was developed by an AAOS physician volunteer Work
Group based on a systematic review of the current scientific and clinical information and
accepted approaches to treatment and/or diagnosis. This Clinical Practice Guideline is not
intended to be a fixed protocol, as some patients may require more or less treatment or
different means of diagnosis. Clinical patients may not necessarily be the same as those
found in a clinical trial. Patient care and treatment should always be based on a
clinician's independent medical judgment, given the individual patient's clinical
circumstances.
Disclosure Requirement
In accordance with AAOS policy, all individuals whose names appear as authors or
contributors to Clinical Practice Guideline filed a disclosure statement as part of the
submission process. All panel members provided full disclosure of potential conflicts of
interest prior to voting on the recommendations contained within this Clinical Practice
Guidelines.
Funding Source
This Clinical Practice Guideline was funded exclusively by the American Academy of
Orthopaedic Surgeons who received no funding from outside commercial sources to
support the development of this document.
FDA Clearance
Some drugs or medical devices referenced or described in this Clinical Practice Guideline
may not have been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or may have
been cleared for a specific use only. The FDA has stated that it is the responsibility of the
physician to determine the FDA clearance status of each drug or device he or she wishes
to use in clinical practice.
Copyright
All rights reserved. No part of this Clinical Practice Guideline may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission
from the AAOS.
Published 2010 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 6300 North River Road Rosemont, IL 60018 First Edition Copyright 2010 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Summary of Recommendations
The following is a summary of the recommendations in the AAOS' clinical practice guideline, The Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoporotic Spinal Compression fractures. This summary does not contain rationales that explain how and why these recommendations were developed nor does it contain the evidence supporting these recommendations. All readers of this summary are strongly urged to consult the full guideline and evidence report for this information. We are confident that those who read the full guideline and evidence report will see that the recommendations were developed using systematic evidence-based processes designed to combat bias, enhance transparency, and promote reproducibility.
This summary of recommendations is not intended to stand alone. Treatment decisions should be made in light of all circumstances presented by the patient. Treatments and procedures applicable to the individual patient rely on mutual communication between patient, physician, and other healthcare practitioners.
1. We suggest patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture
on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms suggesting an acute injury (0-5 days after identifiable event or onset of symptoms) and who are neurologically intact be treated with calcitonin for 4 weeks.
Strength of Recommendation: Moderate
Description: Evidence from two or more "Moderate" strength studies with consistent findings, or evidence
from a single "High" quality study for recommending for or against the intervention. A Moderate
recommendation means that the benefits exceed the potential harm (or that the potential harm clearly exceeds
the benefits in the case of a negative recommendation), but the strength of the supporting evidence is not as
strong.
Implications: Practitioners should generally follow a Moderate recommendation but remain alert to new
information and be sensitive to patient preferences.
2. Ibandronate and strontium ranelate are options to prevent additional symptomatic
fractures in patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms.
Strength of Recommendation: Limited
Description: Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with consistent findings, or evidence from a
single "Moderate" quality study recommending for or against the intervention or diagnostic. A Limited
recommendation means the quality of the supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-
conducted studies show little clear advantage to one approach versus another.
Implications: Practitioners should exercise clinical judgment when following a recommendation classified as
Limited, and should be alert to emerging evidence that might negate the current findings. Patient preference
should have a substantial influencing role.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
3. We are unable to recommend for or against bed rest, complementary and
alternative medicine, or opioids/analgesics for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a
recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as
Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to
determine the balance between benefits and potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
4. It is an option to treat patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal
compression fracture at L3 or L4 on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms suggesting an acute injury and who are neurologically intact with an L2 nerve root block.
Strength of Recommendation: Limited
Description: Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with consistent findings, or evidence from a
single "Moderate" quality study recommending for or against the intervention or diagnostic. A Limited
recommendation means the quality of the supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-
conducted studies show little clear advantage to one approach versus another.
Implications: Practitioners should exercise clinical judgment when following a recommendation classified as
Limited, and should be alert to emerging evidence that might negate the current findings. Patient preference
should have a substantial influencing role.
5. We are unable to recommend for or against treatment with a brace for patients
who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a
recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as
Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to
determine the balance between benefits and potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
6. We are unable to recommend for or against a supervised or unsupervised exercise
program for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a
recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as
Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to
determine the balance between benefits and potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
7. We are unable to recommend for or against electrical stimulation for patients who
present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a
recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as
Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to
determine the balance between benefits and potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
8. We recommend against vertebroplasty for patients who present with an
osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Description: Evidence is based on two or more "High" strength studies with consistent findings for
recommending for or against the intervention. A Strong recommendation means that the benefits of the
recommended approach clearly exceed the potential harm (or that the potential harm clearly exceeds the
benefits in the case of a strong negative recommendation), and that the strength of the supporting evidence is
high.
Implications: Practitioners should follow a Strong recommendation unless a clear and compelling rationale
for an alternative approach is present.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
9. Kyphoplasty is an option for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal
compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Limited
Description: Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with consistent findings, or evidence from a
single "Moderate" quality study recommending for or against the intervention or diagnostic. A Limited
recommendation means the quality of the supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-
conducted studies show little clear advantage to one approach versus another.
Implications: Practitioners should exercise clinical judgment when following a recommendation classified as
Limited, and should be alert to emerging evidence that might negate the current findings. Patient preference
should have a substantial influencing role.
10. We are unable to recommend for or against improvement of kyphosis angle in the
treatment of patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a
recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as
Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to
determine the balance between benefits and potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
11. We are unable to recommend for or against any specific treatment for patients
who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are not neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a
recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as
Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to
determine the balance between benefits and potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Work Group
Stephen I Esses, MD, Chair
Seattle, WA 98105
Southwest Orthopedic Group
6560 Fannin St Ste 1016
Evidence Based Practice Committee Chair
Houston TX 77030-2761
Michael Keith, MD
2500 Metro Health Drive
Robert McGuire, MD, Vice-Chair
Cleveland, OH 44109-1900
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
AAOS Staff:
Charles M. Turkelson, PhD
Jackson MS 39216-4500
Director of Research and Scientific Affairs
6300 N. River Rd, Suite 503
John Jenkins, MD
Rosemont, IL 60018
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Division of Rheumatology, Dept of
Janet L. Wies, MPH
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Manager
Jackson MS 39216-4500
Patrick Sluka, MPH
AAOS Research Analyst
Joel Finkelstein, MD
2075 Bayview Ave MG361
Kevin M. Boyer
Toronto ON M4N3M
AAOS Research Analyst
Eric Woodard, MD
Kristin Hitchcock, MLS
New England Baptist Hospital
AAOS Medical Librarian
125 Parker Hill Ave.
Special Acknowledgements
Sara Anderson, MPH
Guidelines and Technology Oversight Chair
Laura Raymond, MA
William C. Watters III MD
6624 Fannin #2600
Houston, TX 77030
Guidelines and Technology Oversight
Vice-Chair
Michael J. Goldberg, MD
Department of Orthopaedics
Seattle Children's Hospital
4800 Sand Point Way NE
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Peer Review
Participation in the AAOS peer review process does not constitute an endorsement
of this guideline by the participating organization.
The following seven organizations participated in peer review of this clinical practice guideline and gave their explicit consent to have their names listed in this document:
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR)
American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons
(AANS/CNS Joint Section)
American College of Radiology (ACR)
AO Spine International
International Spine Intervention Society (ISIS)
National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF)
North American Spine Association (NASS)
Participation in the AAOS peer review process does not constitute an endorsement
of this guideline by the participating organization.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table of Contents
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List of Figures
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List of Tables
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I. INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW
This clinical practice guideline is based on a systematic review of published studies on
the treatment of symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures in adults. In
addition to providing practice recommendations, this guideline also highlights gaps in the
literature and areas that require future research.
This guideline is intended to be used by all appropriately trained surgeons and all qualified physicians managing the treatment of symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures. It is also intended to serve as an information resource for decision makers and developers of practice guidelines and recommendations.
GOALS AND RATIONALE
The purpose of this clinical practice guideline is to help improve treatment based on the
current best evidence. Current evidence-based medicine (EBM) standards demand that
physicians use the best available evidence in their clinical decision making. To assist in
this, this clinical practice guideline consists of a systematic review of the available
literature regarding the treatment of symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression
fractures. The systematic review detailed herein was conducted between March 2009 and
February 2010 and demonstrates where there is good evidence, where evidence is
lacking, and what topics future research must target in order to improve the treatment of
patients with symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures. AAOS staff and the
physician work group systematically reviewed the available literature and subsequently
wrote the following recommendations based on a rigorous, standardized process.
Musculoskeletal care is provided in many different settings by many different providers. We created this guideline as an educational tool to guide qualified physicians through a series of treatment decisions in an effort to improve the quality and efficiency of care. This guideline should not be construed as including all proper methods of care or excluding methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. The ultimate judgment regarding any specific procedure or treatment must be made in light of all circumstances presented by the patient and the needs and resources particular to the locality or institution.
INTENDED USERS
This guideline is intended to be used by orthopaedic surgeons and all qualified physicians
managing patients with symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures.
Typically, orthopaedic surgeons will have completed medical training, a qualified
residency in orthopaedic surgery, and some may have completed additional sub-specialty
training. Insurance payers, governmental bodies, and health-policy decision-makers may
also find this guideline useful as an evolving standard of evidence regarding treatment of
symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Treatment for symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures is based on the assumption that decisions are predicated on patient and physician mutual communication with discussion of available treatments and procedures applicable to the individual patient. Once the patient has been informed of available therapies and has discussed these options with his/her physician, an informed decision can be made. Clinician input based on experience with conservative management and the clinician's surgical experience and skills increases the probability of identifying patients who will benefit from specific treatment options.
PATIENT POPULATION
This document addresses the treatment of symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression
fractures in adults (defined as patients 18 years of age and older).
ETIOLOGY
Symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures are a result of osteoporosis.
INCIDENCE
Symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures are a common occurrence. About
750,000 new vertebral fractures occur each year in the United States.1
BURDEN OF DISEASE
The economic burden of treating incident osteoporotic fractures was estimated at $17
billion in 2005.2
EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACT
Symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures cause pain, loss of physical
function, and are associated with increased mortality.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS, HARMS, AND CONTRAINDICATIONS
The aim of treatment is pain relief and recovery of mobility. Most treatments are
associated with some known risks, especially invasive and operative treatments. In
addition, contraindications vary widely based on the treatment administered. Therefore,
discussion of available treatments and procedures applicable to the individual patient rely
on mutual communication between the patient and physician, weighing the potential risks
and benefits for that patient.
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II. METHODS
This clinical practice guideline and the systematic review upon which it is based evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures. This section describes the methods used to prepare this guideline and systematic review, including search strategies used to identify literature, criteria for selecting eligible articles, determining the strength of the evidence, data extraction, methods of statistical analysis, and the review and approval of the guideline. The methods used to perform this systematic review were employed to minimize bias in the selection, appraisal, and analysis of the available evidence.3, 4 These processes are vital to the development of reliable, transparent, and accurate clinical recommendations for treating symptomatic osteoporotic spinal compression fractures.
This guideline and systematic review were prepared by the AAOS Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoporotic Spinal Compression Fractures guideline work group with the assistance of the AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit in the Department of Research and Scientific Affairs at the AAOS .
To develop this guideline, the work group held an introductory meeting to develop the scope of the guideline on March 28, 2009. Upon completion of the systematic review, the work group met again on February 27 and 28, 2010 to write and vote on the final recommendations and rationales for each recommendation. The resulting draft guidelines were then peer-reviewed, subsequently sent for public commentary, and then sequentially approved by the AAOS Evidence Based Practice Committee, AAOS Guidelines and Technology Oversight Committee, AAOS Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and Technology, and the AAOS Board of Directors (seefor a description of the AAOS bodies involved in the approval process)
FORMULATING PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS
The work group began work on this guideline by constructing a set of preliminary
recommendations. These recommendations specify [what] should be done in [whom],
[when], [where], and [how often or how long]. They function as questions for the
systematic review, not as final recommendations or conclusions. Preliminary
recommendations are almost always modified on the basis of the results of the systematic
review. Once established, these a priori preliminary recommendations cannot be
modified until the final work group meeting, they must be addressed by the systematic
review, and the relevant review results must be presented in the final guideline.
STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA
We developed a priori article inclusion criteria for our review. These criteria are our
"rules of evidence" and articles that do not meet them are, for the purposes of this
guideline, not evidence.
To be included in our systematic reviews (and hence, in this guideline) an article had to be a report of a study that:
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Investigates osteoporotic spinal compression fracture patients
• is a full article report of a clinical study (i.e., retrospective case series, medical
records review, meeting abstracts, historical articles, editorials, letters, and commentaries are excluded)
• was published in English
• was published in or after 1966
• appeared in a peer-reviewed publication
• enrolled 10 or more patients per group
• presented results quantitatively
• enrolled patients 18 years of age or older (100% of study population)
• is not an in vitro, biomechanical, or cadaver study
• excluded the following patients (unless results were reported separately):
osteogenesis imperfecta (OI)
solid metastatic tumors of the spine
• for any given follow-up time point in any included study, there must be ≥ 50%
patient follow-up (if the follow-up is >50% but <80%, the study quality will be downgraded by one Level)
• results reported as "post-hoc subgroup analyses" will be excluded 5
When a study's "duration of symptoms" is not the same as those examined by the work group (i.e. 0-2 weeks, 2-6 weeks, etc.) the study will be assigned to the appropriate "duration of symptoms" group based upon the mean duration of symptoms. If a range rather than mean is provided, the higher end of the range will dictate which "duration of symptoms" group the study will be assigned to. For example, a study reporting patient symptoms of 0-4 weeks would be included in the time frame "2-6 weeks" created by the work group.
When considering studies for inclusion, we included only the best available evidence. Accordingly, we first included Level I evidence. In the absence of two or more studies of this Level, we sequentially searched for and included Level II through Level IV evidence, and did not proceed to a lower level if there were two or more studies of a higher level. For example, if there were two Level II studies that addressed a recommendation, we did not include Level III or IV studies.
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OUTCOMES CONSIDERED
Clinical studies often report many different outcomes. For this guideline, patient-oriented
outcomes are included wherever possible. If patient-oriented outcomes were not available
surrogate/intermediate outcomes were considered. Surrogate outcome measures are
laboratory measurements or another physical sign used as substitutes for a clinically
meaningful end point that measures directly how a patient feels, functions, or survives.6
Radiographic results are an example of a surrogate outcome.
For outcomes measured using "paper and pencil" instruments (e.g. the visual analogue scale), the results using validated instruments are considered the best available evidence. In the absence of results using validated instruments, results using non-validated instruments are considered as the best available evidence and the strength of the recommendation is lowered. For this guideline, all outcomes we reported were validated in a spine patient population.
MINIMAL CLINICALLY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT
Wherever possible, we considered the effects of treatments in terms of the minimal
clinically important improvement (MCII) in addition to whether their effects were
statistically significant. The MCII is the smallest clinical change that is important to
patients, and recognizes the fact that there are some treatment-induced statistically
significant improvements that are too small to matter to patients. The values we used for
MCIIs are derived from a published study investigating the Visual Analogue Scale, the
Numerical Rating Scale, the Oswestry Disability Index, and the Roland Disability
Questionnaire;7 a study investigating the Physical Component Summary of the SF-36;8 a
study investigating the Assessment of Quality of Life instrument (AQoL);9 and a study
investigating the EQ-5D instrument.10
Table 1 MCII of outcomes
Outcome Measure
(points)
Pain – VAS (0-100)
Pain – NRS (0-10)
Oswestry Disability Index
Roland-Morris Disability
SF-36 Physical Component
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When possible we describe the results of studies using terminology based on that of Armitage, et al.11 The associated descriptive terms in this guideline and the conditions for using each of these terms, are outlined in
Table 2 Descriptive terms for results with MCII
Descriptive Term
Condition for Use
Statistically significant and
Clinically Important
lower confidence limit > MCII
Statistically significant and
Possibly Clinically Important
confidence intervals contain the MCII
Statistically significant and
Not Clinically Important
upper confidence limit < MCII
Not statistically significant and
upper confidence limit < MCII
Not statistically significant but
confidence intervals contain the MCII
When MCII values from the specific guideline patient population was not available, we used values from the most closely related population that has published data available. We acknowledge that there can be variance in the MCII from disease to disease as well as what individual patients consider improvement. For this guideline, we included MCII values for pain and disability from studies including patients with low back pain, the MCII values cited for the SF-36 PCS are derived from patients who were treated with lumbar spine surgery and the MCII for the quality of life values are from studies that included a variety of conditions.7,8,9,10
LITERATURE SEARCHES
We attempted to make our searches for articles comprehensive. Using comprehensive
literature searches ensures that the evidence we considered for this guideline is not biased
for (or against) any particular point of view.
We searched for articles published from January 1966 to December 31, 2009. We searched four electronic databases; PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Strategies for searching electronic databases were constructed by a Medical Librarian using previously published search strategies to identify relevant studies.12-18
We supplemented searches of electronic databases with manual screening of the bibliographies of all retrieved publications. We also searched the bibliographies of recent systematic reviews and other review articles for potentially relevant citations. Finally, work group members provided a list of potentially relevant studies that were not identified by our searches. All articles identified were subject to the study selection criteria listed above.
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The study attrition diagram inprovides details about the inclusion and exclusion of the studies considered for this guideline. The search strategies used to identify these studies are provided i
DATA EXTRACTION
Data elements extracted from studies were defined in consultation with the physician
work group. The elements extracted are shown i Evidence tables were
constructed to summarize the best evidence pertaining to each preliminary
recommendation. Disagreements about the accuracy of extracted data were resolved by
consensus and consulting the work group.
JUDGING THE QUALITY OF EVIDENCE
Determining the quality of the included evidence is vitally important when preparing any
evidence-based work product. Doing so conveys the amount of confidence one can have
in any study's results. One has more confidence in high quality evidence than in low
quality evidence.
Assigning a level of evidence on the basis of study design plus other quality characteristics ties the levels of evidence we report more closely to quality than levels of evidence based only on study design. Because we tie quality to levels of evidence, we are able to characterize the confidence one can have in their results. Accordingly, we characterize the confidence one can have in Level I evidence as high, the confidence one can have in Level II and III evidence as moderate, and the confidence one can have in Level IV and V evidence as low. Similarly, throughout the guideline we refer to Level I evidence as reliable, Level II and III evidence as moderately reliable, and Level IV and V evidence as not reliable.
TREATMENT STUDIES
In studies investigating the result of treatment, we assessed the quality of the evidence for each outcome at each time point reported in a study. We did not simply assess the overall quality of a study. Our approach follows the recommendations of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) working group19 as well as others.20
We evaluated quality on a per outcome basis rather than a per study basis because quality is not necessarily the same for all outcomes and all follow-up times reported in a study. For example, a study might report results immediately after patients received a given treatment and after some period of time has passed. Often, nearly all enrolled patients contribute data at early follow-up times but, at much later follow-up times, only a few patients may contribute data. One has more confidence in the earlier data than in the later data. The fact that we would assign a higher quality score to the earlier results reflects this difference in confidence.
We assessed the quality of treatment studies using a two step process. First, we assigned a level of evidence to all results reported in a study based solely on that study's design. Accordingly, all data presented in randomized controlled trials were initially categorized as Level I evidence, all results presented in non-randomized controlled trials and other
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prospective comparative studies were initially categorized as Level II, all results presented in retrospective comparative and case-control studies were initially categorized as Level III, and all results presented in prospective case-series reports were initially categorized as Level IV. We next assessed each outcome at each reported time point using a quality questionnaire and, when quality standards were not met, downgraded the level of evidence (for this outcome at this time point) by one level (see
DEFINING THE STRENGTH OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
Judging the quality of evidence is only a stepping stone towards arriving at the strength
of a guideline recommendation. Unlike Levels of Evidence (which apply only to a given
result at a given follow-up time in a given study) strength of recommendation takes into
account the quality, quantity, and applicability of the available evidence. Strength also
takes into account the trade-off between the benefits and harms of a treatment or
diagnostic procedure, and the magnitude of a treatment's effect.
Strength of recommendation expresses the degree of confidence one can have in a recommendation. As such, the strength expresses how possible it is that a recommendation will be overturned by future evidence. It is very difficult for future evidence to overturn a recommendation that is based on many high quality randomized controlled trials that show a large effect. It is much more likely that future evidence will overturn recommendations derived from a few small case series. Consequently, recommendations based on the former kind of evidence are given a high strength of recommendation and recommendations based on the latter kind of evidence are given a low strength.
To develop the strength of a recommendation, AAOS staff first assigned a preliminary strength for each recommendation that took only the quality and quantity of the available evidence into account (see. Work group members then modified the preliminary strength using the ‘Form for Assigning Strength of Recommendation (Interventions)' shown in
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Table 3 Strength of Recommendation Descriptions
Statement
Description of Evidence Strength
Implication for Practice
Evidence is based on two or more "High" strength studies
Practitioners should follow a Strong
with consistent findings for recommending for or against the
recommendation unless a clear and compelling
rationale for an alternative approach is present.
A Strong recommendation means that the benefits of the
recommended approach clearly exceed the potential harm (or
that the potential harm clearly exceeds the benefits in the case
of a strong negative recommendation), and that the strength
of the supporting evidence is high.
Moderate
Evidence from two or more "Moderate" strength studies with
Practitioners should generally follow a
consistent findings, or evidence from a single "High" quality
Moderate recommendation but remain alert to
study for recommending for or against the intervention.
new information and be sensitive to patient
A Moderate recommendation means that the benefits exceed
the potential harm (or that the potential harm clearly exceeds
the benefits in the case of a negative recommendation), but
the strength of the supporting evidence is not as strong.
Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with
Practitioners should be cautious in deciding
consistent findings, or evidence from a single Moderate
whether to follow a recommendation classified
quality study recommending for or against the intervention or
as Limited, and should exercise judgment and
be alert to emerging publications that report
evidence. Patient preference should have a
A Limited recommendation means the quality of the
substantial influencing role.
supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-conducted studies show little clear advantage to one approach versus another.
Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting
Practitioners should feel little constraint in
findings that do not allow a recommendation for or against
deciding whether to follow a recommendation
the intervention.
labeled as Inconclusive and should exercise
judgment and be alert to future publications that
An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack
clarify existing evidence for determining balance
of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear balance
of benefits versus potential harm. Patient
between benefits and potential harm.
preference should have a substantial influencing
Consensus
The supporting evidence is lacking and requires the work
Practitioners should be flexible in deciding
group to make a recommendation based on expert opinion by
whether to follow a recommendation classified
considering the known potential harm and benefits associated
as Consensus, although they may set boundaries
with the treatment.
on alternatives. Patient preference should have a
substantial influencing role.
A Consensus recommendation means that expert opinion
supports the guideline recommendation even though there is
no available empirical evidence that meets the inclusion
criteria.
1 The AAOS will issue a consensus-based recommendation only when the service in question has virtually no associated harm and is of low cost (e.g. a history and physical) or when not establishing a recommendation could have catastrophic consequences.
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Each recommendation was written using language that accounts for the final strength of the recommendation. This language, and the corresponding strength, is shown i
Table 4 AAOS guideline language
Strength of
Guideline Language
We recommend
We suggest
We are unable to recommend for or against
In the absence of reliable evidence, it is the
opinion of this work group*
* *Consensus based recommendations are made according to specific criteria. These criteria can be found in Appendix VI.
CONSENSUS DEVELOPMENT
The recommendations and their strength were voted on using a structured voting
technique known as the nominal group technique.21 We present details of this technique
inVoting on guideline recommendations was conducted using a secret
ballot and work group members were blinded to the responses of other members. If
disagreement between work group members was significant, there was further discussion
to see whether the disagreement(s) could be resolved. Up to three rounds of voting were
held to attempt to resolve disagreements. If disagreements were not resolved following
three voting rounds, no recommendation was adopted. Lack of agreement is a reason that
the strength for some recommendations is labeled "Inconclusive."
STATISTICAL METHODS
When possible the results of statistical analysis conducted by the AAOS Clinical Practice
Guidelines Unit using STATA 10.0 (StataCorp LP, College Station, Texas) are reported.
The program was used to determine the magnitude of the treatment effect. For data
reported as means (and associated measures of dispersion) the mean difference between
groups was calculated. For proportions, the odds ratio was calculated as a measure of
treatment effect. When no events occur ("zero event") in a proportion, the variance of the
arcsine difference was used to determine statistical significance (p < 0.05).22
To compare recurrent and adjacent fracture rates we report the proportion of patients that experienced a fracture and percentage of patients that experienced a fracture. The variance of the arcsine difference was used to determine statistical significance (p < 0.05) of fracture rates.22
We performed meta-analyses using the random effects method of DerSimonian and Laird.23 Heterogeneity was assessed with the I-squared statistic.24 All meta-analyses were performed using STATA 10.0 (StataCorp LP, College Station, Texas) and the "metan" command.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
To assess the power of an outcome to detect a statistically significant difference we determined whether the number of patients in the study was sufficient to detect a small, medium, or large effect, while assuming an alpha of 0.05 as the significance level, 80% power, and Cohen's definitions of small, medium, and large effects (a small effect is d = 0.2, a medium effect is d = 0.5, and a large effect is d = 0.8).25 When a study with a non-significant difference that was unable to detect a large effect it was categorized as low power. Studies able to detect medium effects or with statistically significant differences were categorized as high power.
When published studies report measures of dispersion other than the standard deviation the value was estimated to facilitate calculation of the treatment effect. In studies that report standard errors or confidence intervals the standard deviation was back-calculated. In studies that only report the median, range, and size of the trial, we estimated the means and variances according to a published method.26 Studies that report results in graphical form were analyzed with TechDig 2.0 (Ronald B. Jones, Mundelein, Illinois) to estimate the mean and variance.
In some circumstances statistical testing was conducted by the authors and measures of dispersion were not reported. In the absence of measures of dispersion, the results of the statistical analyses conducted by the authors are included in the analysis and are identified as those of the study authors.
PEER REVIEW
The draft of the guideline and evidence report was peer reviewed by an external, outside
specialty panel that was nominated a priori by the physician work group prior to the
development of the guideline. The physician members of the AAOS Guidelines and
Technology Oversight Committee and the Evidence Based Practice Committee also
provided peer review of the draft document. Peer review was accomplished using a
structured peer review form (see. The draft guideline was sent to a total of
32 reviewers and 11 returned reviews (see The disposition of all non-
editorial peer review comments was documented and accompanied this guideline through
the public commentary and the AAOS guideline approval process.
PUBLIC COMMENTARY
After modifying the draft in response to peer review, the guideline was subjected to a
thirty day period of "Public Commentary." Commentators consist of members of the
AAOS Board of Directors (BOD), members of the Council on Research, Quality
Assessment, and Technology (CORQAT), members of the Board of Councilors (BOC),
and members of the Board of Specialty Societies (BOS). Based on these bodies, over 200
commentators had the opportunity to provide input into this guideline development
process. Of these, forty-nine members received the document for review and one member
returned public comments (see.
THE AAOS GUIDELINE APPROVAL PROCESS
Following public commentary, the draft was again modified by the AAOS Clinical
Practice Guidelines Unit and work group members. This final guideline draft was
approved by the AAOS Guidelines Oversight Committee, the AAOS Evidence Based
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Practice Committee, the AAOS Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and Technology, and the AAOS Board of Directors. Descriptions of these bodies are provided in
REVISION PLANS
This guideline represents a cross-sectional view of current treatment and/or diagnosis and
may become outdated as new evidence becomes available. This guideline will be revised
in accordance with new evidence, changing practice, rapidly emerging treatment options,
new technology. This guideline will be updated or withdrawn in five years in accordance
with the standards of the National Guideline Clearinghouse.
GUIDELINE DISSEMINATION PLANS
The primary purpose of the present document is to provide interested readers with full
documentation about not only our recommendations, but also about how we arrived at
those recommendations. This document is also posted on the AAOS website at
Shorter versions of the guideline are available in other venues. Publication of most guidelines is announced by an Academy press release, articles authored by the work group and published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and articles published in AAOS Now. Most guidelines are also distributed at the AAOS Annual Meeting in various venues such as on Academy Row and at Committee Scientific Exhibits.
Selected guidelines are disseminated by webinar, an Online Module for the Orthopaedic Knowledge Online website, Radio Media Tours, Media Briefings, and by distributing them at relevant Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses and at the AAOS Resource Center.
Other dissemination efforts outside of the AAOS will include submitting the guideline to the National Guideline Clearinghouse and distributing the guideline at other medical specialty societies' meetings.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
III. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUPPORTING DATA
RECOMMENDATION 1
We suggest patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on
imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms suggesting an acute injury (0-5
days after identifiable event or onset of symptoms) and who are neurologically intact be
treated with calcitonin for 4 weeks.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Moderate
Description: Evidence from two or more "Moderate" strength studies with consistent
findings, or evidence from a single "High" quality study for recommending for or against
the intervention. A Moderate recommendation means that the benefits exceed the
potential harm (or that the potential harm clearly exceeds the benefits in the case of a
negative recommendation), but the strength of the supporting evidence is not as strong.
Implications: Practitioners should generally follow a Moderate recommendation but
remain alert to new information and be sensitive to patient preferences.
Rationale
This recommendation is based on two Level II studies which showed benefit in reducing pain at 4 weeks using salmon calcitonin administered within 5 days of a fracture event.27, 28 In one study, 100 patients were treated with 200 IU nasal calcitonin or placebo. Calcitonin reduced pain in 4 positions (bedrest, sitting, standing, and walking) and the number of bedridden patients at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks in a clinically important manner. In a second study with 36 patients, similar results were found with calcitonin suppositories 200 IU. Side effects of calcitonin include mild dizziness.28
Two additional Level II studies with calcitonin showed benefit at longer periods of time (3-12) months but were not as well designed.29, 30 In one, possibly clinically important benefit was shown in pain reduction using nasal calcitonin in a two-month on and two month off fashion for 12 months compared to calcium 500 mg with vitamin D 200 IU.29 In another study, 200 IU nasal calcitonin led to possibly clinically important improvement in pain at 3 months when compared to 1000 mg calcium.30
The effect of subcutaneous administration of calcitonin is undetermined in a rigorous scientific manner.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Supporting Evidence
Two studies with moderately reliable data enrolling a total of 136 patients compared calcitonin against placebo among patients with an acute injury (0-5 days after injury).27, 28 In each study, only paracetamol was permitted as a rescue analgesic. Calcitonin reduced pain more than placebo at clinically important or possibly clinically important levels in both studies from 1-4 weeks (results presented i-
Two additional studies with moderately reliable data enrolling a total of 82 patients compared calcitonin to non-placebo control.29, 30 As opposed to the two calcitonin vs. placebo studies, the time since injury was greater than 3 months in one study30 and not specified in the other.29 In each study, the calcitonin group also received calcium. The control group was calcium in the first study and calcium and vitamin D in the second study. A possibly clinically important improvement in pain occurred in the calcitonin group at 3 and 12 months, respectively, but there was no difference in function at 3 months
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
Table 5 Summary of Calcitonin Outcomes
2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks months
Mild enteric disturbances
Oswestry Disability
Pain bedridden - VAS
Pain sitting - VAS
Pain standing - VAS
Pain walking - VAS
Patients Bedridden
circle-calcitonin compared to plac ebo; squar
d to no calci tonin
green-clinically important in favor of calcitonin; blue-possibly clinically important in favor of
Calcitonin; red-statistically significant in favor of placebo
grey-statistically significant; open-not statistically significant, X-underpowered study
Pain –VAS =Pain measured using the visual analog scale.
Pain-NRS = Pain measured with the numerical rating scale.
Please see Appendix XI for a list of all abbreviations used in this report.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 6 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 1 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 6 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 1 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
CALCITONIN VS. PLACEBO
Figure 1 Calcitonin vs. Placebo – Difference in Pain
Interpreting the Graphs
Throughout the guideline we use line graphs to illustrate the differences in efficacy between the experimental and control groups of a study. Each point represents the difference between the two study groups for the designated outcome at that particular time point. A positive value indicates a better outcome (e.g., less pain) in the experimental group. The error bars represent the 95% Confidence Interval. The dotted line represents the Minimally Clinically Important Improvement (MCII) for the outcome.
In the figure above, the difference in pain between the calcitonin and placebo groups is compared at 4 time points in two separate studies (Lyritis 1997 and Lyritis 1999). For instance, at 4 weeks the pain on VAS in the calcitonin group is about 7 units less than the pain in the placebo group in both studies. The difference is statistically significant because the confidence intervals do not cross 0, and the difference is clinically important because the lower confidence interval is greater than the MCII value.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 7 Calcitonin vs. Placebo - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 7 Calcitonin vs. Placebo - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
*95% Confidence Intervals estimated from medians and p-value (from Mann-Whitney test)
Table 8 Calcitonin vs. Placebo – Bedridden Patients
Time After
Calcitonin
Duration
Evidence
Patients Bedridden
Shaded cell indicates favored treatment
Table 9 Calcitonin vs. Placebo – Adverse Events
Time After
Calcitonin
Duration
Evidence
Mild enteric disturbances
Study lacked sufficient power to detect large effect for mild enteric disturbances; shaded cell indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
CALCITONIN VS. NO CALCITONIN
Table 10 Calcitonin vs. No Calcitonin – Pain and Function
Difference
Clinically
Time After
Important?
Duration
Evidence
groups (95%
3.2 (-7.1, 13.5)
Papadokostakis study lacked sufficient power to detect large effect for Oswestry Disability; *Estimated from median and range;
○ = no statistically significant difference
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 2
Ibandronate and strontium ranelate are options to prevent additional symptomatic
fractures in patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on
imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Limited
Description: Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with consistent findings,
or evidence from a single "Moderate" quality study recommending for or against the
intervention or diagnostic. A Limited recommendation means the quality of the
supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-conducted studies show little
clear advantage to one approach versus another.
Implications: Practitioners should exercise clinical judgment when following a
recommendation classified as Limited, and should be alert to emerging evidence that
might negate the current findings. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
Rationale
There have been numerous studies examining the effects of medical therapies for the treatment of osteoporosis to prevent radiographic fractures. The focus of this recommendation is not the use of medical therapies for treatment of osteoporosis (i.e. prevention of fragility fracture), but their use in patients with an existing fracture and the prevention of those patients experiencing symptomatic fractures (i.e. the critical outcome for this recommendation). Three studies of osteoporosis drugs exclusively enrolled symptomatic patients but none reported the critical outcome of a symptomatic fracture. Thirty-four additional studies were included that enrolled patients with symptomatic fractures or asymptomatic fractures (incident fracture determined by radiograph). Three of these studies reported the critical outcome of symptomatic fracture.
One Level II study31 investigated daily (2.5 mg) and intermittent (20 mg every other day for 12 doses every 3 months) administration of ibandronate for symptomatic vertebral fractures compared to placebo. Daily and intermittent ibandronate treatment regimens reduced new symptomatic vertebral fractures in a statistically significant manner at 3 years. There were no statistically significant differences in adverse events between ibandronate and placebo groups including those in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
One Level II study32investigated daily strontium ranelate (2g) for vertebral fractures compared to placebo. Strontium ranelate reduced new symptomatic vertebral fractures in a statistically significant manner at 1 and 3 years. The occurrence of adverse events was
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
similar between patients assigned to placebo or strontium ranelate. The only statistically significant differences were diarrhea, which occurred more frequently in patients receiving strontium ranelate, and incidence of gastritis, which occurred more frequently in patients receiving placebo. Effective as of July 15, 2010, Strontium Ranelate is not approved for marketing or the treatment of any medical condition in the United States. The United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) current policy regarding disclosure of marketing applications can be found in "Current Disclosure Policies for Marketing Applications" on the FDA website.
One Level II study33investigated daily oral pamidronate (150 mg) for vertebral fractures compared to placebo. Oral pamidronate did not reduce new symptomatic vertebral fractures in a statistically significant manner at 3 years and adverse events were similar between patients receiving placebo or oral pamidronate.
No recommendation is made for or against the use of any of the treatments considered not applicable to the reduction of future symptomatic vertebral fractures despite the large body of evidence for their use in osteoporosis.
Supporting Evidence
We have tabled data on radiographic and symptomatic fracture from 37 studies, analyzing 18,305 unique patients, with reliable or moderately reliable data that report the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurrent fracture within the first 3 months up to 4.5 years following initiation of treatment. Three of the 35 studies enrolled patients who had symptoms of osteoporotic spinal compression fracture. None of these studies report recurrent or adjacent fractures as symptomatic. However, three different included studies (i.e. studies that enrolled symptomatic and asymptomatic patients) did report recurrent or adjacent fractures as symptomatic. Twenty nine of the 37 studies enroll an exclusively female population.illustrates the symptomatic fractures and the radiographic fractures reported as outcomes in the included studies which compared the treatment to a placebo or control.lists the comparisons from the included studies for this recommendation including direct comparisons of treatments (i.e. not placebo or control).
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
Table 11 Fracture Prevention Outcomes
months months
years months years
Calcitonin (100IU)
Calcitonin (200IU)
Calcitonin (300IU)
Estrogen+Fluoride
Etidronate+Estrogen
Etidronate+Phosphate
Ibandronate (intermittent)
Ibandronate (daily)
Raloxifene (60 & 120mg)
Risedronate (2.5mg)
Risedronate (5mg)
Strontium Ranelate (2g)
Strontium Ranelate (1g)
Strontium Ranelate (0.5g)
Teriparatide (20 & 40μg)
Vertebroplasty ○x♦ ○
circle-compared to placebo; squar e-compar
eatment; dia mond-rep orted as "
fracture"; green-symptomatic fracture; grey-radiographic fracture; closed-statistically significant; open-not
statistically significant, X-underpowered study; red-statistically significant in favor of
placebo/conservative; not all treatments were investigated at different dosages; g-grams; mg-milligrams;
mcg-micrograms IU-international unit
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 12 Treatment Comparisons for Recommendation 2
Compared to Placebo or Control
Calcitonin 29, 35
Etidronate 38, 39
Etidronate+Estrogen 38
Etidronate+Phosphate 39
Fluoride 36, 40-43
Ibandronate 31†
Menatetrenone 45
Pamidronate 33†
Raloxifene 47, 48
Risedronate 49-51
Strontium Ranelate 32, 52†
Vertebroplasty 1* 55
Direct Comparisons
Alendronate to Alfacalcidol 56
Estrogen to Estrogen+Calcitriol 57
Etidronate to Fluoride 58
Etidronate to Risedronate 59
Etidronate to Phosphate to Etidronate+Phosphate 39
Kyphoplasty to Vertebroplasty 60, 61
Underpowered Comparisons
Alendronate to Etidronate 62*
Calcitriol to Placebo63
Estrogen+Fluoride to Control 36
Estrogen to Etidronate to Etidronate+Estrogen 38
Estrogen to Fluoride to Estrogen+Fluoride 36
Nandrolone to 1α-OH D3 to Calcium infusion 64
Teriparatide to Teriparatide+Calcitonin 65
* study enrolls symptomatic patients; † study reports symptomatic recurrent or adjacent spinal compression fracture
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 13 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 2 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Menatetrenone vs.
Minondronate vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 13 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 2 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Strontium Ranelate
Strontium Ranelate
Strontium Ranelate
Strontium Ranelate
Estrogen+Calcitriol
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 13 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 2 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Estrogen+Fluoride
Strontium Ranelate
Teriparatide vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 13 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 2 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Etidronate+Estrogen
Teriparatide vs.
Teriparatide and
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 13 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 2 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Etidronate vs. Phosphate vs.
Etidronate+Phosphate
Calcium infusion
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 14 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 2 - Prospective Comparative Studies
× = Not Reported
Duration N
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Adjacent Fracture
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
ALENDRONATE
One study with reliable data compared alendronate to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three years. 34
Table 15 Alendronate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Alendronate
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
ALENDRONATE VS. ALFACALCIDOL
One study with moderately reliable data, which enrolled men and women, compared alendronate to alfacalcidol and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 56
Table 16 Alendronate vs. Alfacalcidol - Fractures
Alendronate
Duration
Study enrolled males and females
ALENDRONATE VS. ETIDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data, which enrolled patients with symptoms of spinal compression fractures, compared alendronate to etidronate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within six months. 62
Table 17 Alendronate vs. Etidronate - Fractures
Alendronate
Etidronate
Duration
Patients were symptomatic at enrollment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
CALCITONIN
Two studies with moderately reliable data compared salmon calcitonin to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within one or three years. 29, 35 In both studies the 200 IU dosage resulted in statistically significant differences in cumulative fracture rates.
Table 18 Calcitonin vs. Placebo - Fractures
Calcitonin
Duration
p-value Power
shaded box indicates favored treatment
CALCITRIOL
One study with reliable data compared calcitriol to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 63
Table 19 Calcitriol vs. Placebo - Fractures
Calcitriol
Duration
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
ESTROGEN
Three studies with moderately reliable data compared estrogen to a placebo or control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within one year, twenty seven months, or four years. 36-38 We conducted a meta-analysis (using the arcsin difference 22) of these three studies in an effort to improve the power of this analysis.illustrates a non-significant effect with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 60.7%).
Table 20 Estrogen vs. Placebo or Control - Fractures
Estrogen
Duration
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Figure 2 Meta-analysis of Estrogen vs. Placebo or Control - Fractures
Overall (I-squared = 60.7%, p = 0.078)
. Favors Placebo/Control Favors Estrogen
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
ESTROGEN VS. ESTROGEN+CALCITRIOL
One study with moderately reliable data compared the combination of estrogen and calcitriol to estrogen alone and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 57
Table 21 Estrogen vs. Estrogen+Calcitriol - Fractures
Estrogen
Outcome Duration
One study with moderately reliable data compared the combination of estrogen and etidronate to a control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within four years. 38
Table 22 Estrogen+Etidronate vs. Control - Fractures
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
ESTROGEN VS. ETIDRONATE VS. ESTROGEN+ ETIDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared estrogen to etidronate to estrogen +etidronate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within four years. 38
Table 23 Estrogen vs. Etidronate vs. Etidronate+Estrogen - Fractures
Estrogen
Etidronate
Outcome Duration
p-value Power
Estrogen
p-value Power
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Estrogen
Etidronate
Outcome Duration
p-value Power
Etidronate Estrogen+Etidronate
p-value Power
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
One study with moderately reliable data compared the combination of estrogen and fluoride to a control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within twenty seven months. 36
Table 24 Estrogen+Fluoride vs. Placebo - Fractures
Duration
ESTROGEN VS. FLUORIDE VS. ESTROGEN+FLUORIDE
One study with moderately reliable data compared estrogen to fluoride to estrogen+fluoride and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within twenty seven months. 36
Table 25 Estrogen vs. Fluoride vs. Estrogen+Fluoride - Fractures
Estrogen
Fluoride
Duration
Estrogen
Fluoride
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
ETIDRONATE
Two studies with moderately reliable data compared etidronate to a placebo or control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years or four years. 38, 39
Table 26 Etidronate vs. Placebo or Control - Fractures
Etidronate
Duration
ETIDRONATE VS. ALENDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data, which enrolled patients with symptoms of spinal compression fractures, compared etidronate to alendronate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within six months. 62
Table 27 Etidronate vs. Alendronate - Fractures
Etidronate
Alendronate
Duration
Patients were symptomatic at enrollment
ETIDRONATE VS. RISEDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared etidronate to risedronate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within four years. 59
Table 28 Etidronate vs. Risedronate - Fractures
Etidronate
Risedronate
Duration
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Percentages reported by study authors, authors do not report sufficient information for n/N
ETIDRONATE VS. FLUORIDE
One study with moderately reliable data compared etidronate to fluoride and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three years. 58
Table 29 Etidronate vs. Fluoride - Fractures
Etidronate
Fluoride
Duration
One study with moderately reliable data compared the combination of etidronate and estrogen to a control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within four years. 38
Table 30 Etidronate+Estrogen vs. Control - Fractures
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
ETIDRONATE VS. ESTROGEN VS. ETIDRONATE+ESTROGEN
One study with moderately reliable data compared etidronate to estrogen to etidronate+estrogen and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within four years. 38
Table 31 Etidronate vs. Estrogen vs. Etidronate+Estrogen - Fractures
Etidronate
Estrogen
Outcome Duration
p-value Power
Etidronate Estrogen+Etidronate
p-value Power
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Etidronate
Estrogen
Outcome Duration
p-value Power
Estrogen
p-value Power
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
One study with moderately reliable data compared the combination of etidronate and phosphate to a placebo group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 39
Table 32 Etidronate+Phosphate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
ETIDRONATE VS. PHOSPHATE VS. ETIDRONATE+PHOSPHATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared etidronate to phosphate to etidronate+phosphate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 39
Table 33 Etidronate vs. Phosphate vs. Etidronate+Phosphate - Fractures
Etidronate
Phosphate
Outcome Duration
Etidronate
Phosphate
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
FLUORIDE
Five studies with moderately reliable data compared fluoride to a placebo or control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within twenty seven months, three years or four and a half years. 36, 40-43 We conducted a meta-analysis (using the arcsin difference 22) of these five studies in an effort to address the differences in the direction of the effect in different trials.illustrates a non-significant effect with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 87.2%).
Table 34 Fluoride vs. Placebo or Control - Fractures
Fluoride
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Figure 3 Meta-analysis of Fluoride vs. Placebo or Control - Fractures
Overall (I-squared = 87.2%, p = 0.000)
. Favors Placebo/Control Favors Fluoride
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
FLUORIDE VS. ETIDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared fluoride to etidronate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three years. 58
Table 35 Fluoride vs. Etidronate - Fractures
Fluoride
Etidronate
Duration
One study with moderately reliable data compared the combination of fluoride and estrogen to a placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within twenty seven months. 36
Table 36 Fluoride+Estrogen vs. Placebo - Fractures
Duration
FLUORIDE VS. ESTROGEN VS. FLUORIDE+ESTROGEN
One study with moderately reliable data compared fluoride to estrogen to estrogen+fluoride and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within twenty seven months. 36
Table 37 Fluoride vs. Estrogen vs. Fluoride+Estrogen - Fractures
Fluoride
Estrogen
Duration
Fluoride
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Fluoride
Estrogen
Duration
Estrogen
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
IBANDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared ibandronate intermittent or daily to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three years. 31 Additionally, this study reports the proportion of fractures that were symptomatic.
Table 38 Ibandronate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Ibandronate
Duration
Ibandronate
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
IPRIFLAVONE
One study with moderately reliable data compared ipriflavone to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 44
Table 39 Ipriflavone vs. Placebo - Fractures
Ipriflavone
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
One study with moderately reliable data compared menatetrenone to a control group and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three years. 45
Table 40 Menatetrenone vs. Control - Fractures
Duration
One study with reliable data compared minondronate to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years.
Table 41 Minondronate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
NANDROLONE VS. 1Α-OH D3 VS. CALCIUM INFUSION
One study with moderately reliable data, which enrolled men and women, compared nandrolone to 1α-hydroxyvitaman D3 to
calcium infusion and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 64
Table 42 Nandrolone vs. 1α-hydroxyvitaman D3 vs. Calcium Infusion - Fractures
Nandrolone
1α-OH D3
Duration
Study enrolled males and females
Nandrolone
Infusion
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Nandrolone
1α-OH D3
Duration
1α-OH D3
Infusion p-value
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
PAMIDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data, which enrolled men and women, compared pamidronate to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three years. 33 Additionally, this study reports the proportion of fractures that were symptomatic.
Table 43 Pamidronate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Pamidronate
Duration
Study enrolled males and females, shaded box indicates favored treatment
PHOSPHATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared phosphate to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 39
Table 44 Phosphate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Phosphate
Duration
PHOSPHATE VS. ETIDRONATE VS. PHOSPHATE+ETIDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared phosphate to etidronate to etidronate+phosphate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 39
Table 45 Phosphate vs. Etdironate vs. Phosphate+Etidronate - Fractures
Phosphate
Etidronate
Outcome Duration
p-value Power
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Phosphate
Etidronate
Outcome Duration
p-value Power
Phosphate
p-value Power
Etidronate
p-value Power
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RALOXIFENE
Two studies with moderately reliable data compared raloxifene to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within one or three years. 47, 48
Table 46 Raloxifene vs. Placebo - Fractures
Raloxifene
Duration
Lufkin 1998: baseline differences in age, shaded box indicates favored treatment
RISEDRONATE
Three studies with moderately reliable data compared risedronate to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two or three years. 49-51
Table 47 Risedronate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Risedronate
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RISEDRONATE VS. ETIDRONATE
One study with moderately reliable data compared risedronate to etidronate and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within four years. 59
Table 48 Risedronate vs. Etidronate - Fractures
Risedronate
Etidronate
Duration
Percentages reported by study authors, do not report sufficient information for n/N
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STRONTIUM RANELATE
Two studies with moderately reliable data compared strontium ranelate to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within one, two, or three years. 32, 52 Additionally, one study reports the proportion of fractures that were symptomatic. 70
Table 49 Strontium Ranelate vs. Placebo - Fractures
Strontium
Ranelate
Dosage Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
One study with moderately reliable data compared teriparatide to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 53
Table 50 Teriparatide vs. Placebo - Fractures
Duration
shaded box indicates favored treatment
TERIPARATIDE VS. TERIPARATIDE+CALCITONIN
One study with moderately reliable data compared teriparatide to teriparatide with calcitonin and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within two years. 65
Table 51 Teriparatide vs. Teriparatide+Calcitonin - Fractures
Duration
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
KYPHOPLASTY
One study with moderately reliable data, which enrolled men and women with symptoms of spinal compression fractures, compared kyphoplasty to conservative treatment and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within one year. 54
Table 52 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative Treatment - Fractures
Kyphoplasty
Duration
Study enrolled males and females, patients were symptomatic at enrollment
VERTEBROPLASTY VS. PLACEBO
One study with reliable data, which enrolled men and women with symptoms of spinal compression fractures, compared vertebroplasty to placebo and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within three and six months. 1
Table 53 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo - Fractures
Duration
Study enrolled males and females, patients were symptomatic at enrollment
VERTEBROPLASTY VS. CONSERVATIVE
One study with moderately reliable data compared vertebroplasty to conservative treatment and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within the first three months.55 Additionally, this study reports the number of these fractures that occurred on adjacent vertebrae.
Table 54 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative - Fractures
Vertebroplasty Conservative
Duration
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Vertebroplasty Conservative
Duration
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
KYPHOPLASTY VS. VERTEBROPLASTY
One study with reliable data, which enrolled men and women, compared kyphoplasty to vertebroplasty and reported the cumulative number of patients with an incident or recurring fracture within six months. 61 Another study with moderately reliable data compared kyphoplasty to vertebroplasty and reported the cumulative number of adjacent fractures within the first four months.60
Table 55 Kyphoplasty vs. Vertebroplasty - Fractures
Kyphoplasty
Duration
Study enrolled males and females, shaded box indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 3
We are unable to recommend for or against bed rest, complementary and alternative medicine, or opioids/analgesics for
patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms
and who are neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a recommendation for or
against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack of compelling evidence resulting in an
unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as Inconclusive, exercise
clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to determine the balance between benefits and
potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial influencing role.
Rationale
There are no existing adequate data to address the use of the following potential conservative, nonoperative therapies for a spinal compression fracture in patients who are neurologically intact: bed rest or complementary, alternative medicines and opioids/analgesics.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 4
It is an option to treat patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture at L3 or L4 on imaging with
correlating clinical signs and symptoms suggesting an acute injury and who are neurologically intact with an L2 nerve root
block.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Limited
Description: Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with consistent findings, or evidence from a single
"Moderate" quality study recommending for or against the intervention or diagnostic. A Limited recommendation means the
quality of the supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-conducted studies show little clear advantage to one
approach versus another.
Implications: Practitioners should exercise clinical judgment when following a recommendation classified as Limited, and
should be alert to emerging evidence that might negate the current findings. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
Rationale
The role of L2 selective nerve root blocks as a non-operative treatment for back pain associated with mid-lumbar compression fracture has been studied.66 In this trial, two groups of 30 acute fracture patients received unilateral L2 root block or subcutaneous injection as a control. A possibly clinically important benefit was seen with the treatment at two weeks but became nonsignificant at one month. The effect of bilateral L2 injection was not addressed in this study or the literature. Based on this single study, support for L2 root injection for treating new onset back pain associated with L3 or L4 compression fractures is weak and is therefore only an option for temporary pain relief.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Supporting Evidence
One study with moderately reliable data enrolling 60 patients compared nerve block to a control group of subcutaneous
injection.66 The study occurred with "acute" injury patients. All patients received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs) and soft lumbar support belts. Patients were allowed a maximum of 7 days of bed rest. Pain was
reduced more in the nerve block group for two weeks at possibly clinically significant levels. The effects were no longer
significant after two weeks, and there were no differences in function at any duration (
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 57 -
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 56 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 4 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 56 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 4 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
NERVE BLOCK VS. SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION
Figure 4 Nerve Block vs. Subcutaneous Injection - Difference in Pain
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 57 Nerve block vs. Subcutaneous Injection - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
1.0 (-0.01, 2.0)
-0.2 (-1.2, 0.8)
-0.4 (-1.6, 0.8)
*Authors reported the difference at 2 weeks was statistically significant according to the Wilcoxon signed rank test (results presented in this table are based on an independent t-test)
Table 58 Nerve block vs. Subcutaneous Injection – Physical Function
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
-0.5 (-2.8, 1.8)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 59 Nerve block vs. Control – SF-36
Time After
Difference between
Clinically
Duration
Evidence
groups (95% CI)
Important?
-0.5 (-7.2, 6.2)
4.6 (-1.7, 11.0)
-0.2 (-3.9, 3.5)
-0.6 (-7.3, 6.1)
5.0 (-1.9, 11.9)
4.0 (-2.5, 10.5)
-4.5 (-8.8, -0.2)
-1.0 (-6.2, 4.2)
27.2 (22.0, 32.4)
-0.4 (-6.1, 5.3)
-1.1 (-6.9, 4.7)
-1.9 (-7.1, 3.3)
-5.2 (-9.8, -0.6)
-1.6 (-6.6, 3.4)
*Authors report this as not significant; possibly a typo in the reported results
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 5
We are unable to recommend for or against treatment with a brace for patients who
present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating
clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not
allow a recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive
recommendation means that there is a lack of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear
balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation
labeled as Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence
that clarifies or helps to determine the balance between benefits and potential harm.
Patient preference should have a substantial influencing role.
Rationale
There was only one Level II article studying the effect of bracing.67 This recommendation was downgraded to inconclusive because neither the age nor the level of the fracture being treated was reported. Additionally, this study investigated only a single specific type of brace for all fractures which call into question the generalizability of these results to all braces. While the results were statistically significant, we do not know if they were clinically important (MCII unknown). Based on this single study, there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use of bracing.
Supporting Evidence
One study with moderately reliable data enrolling 62 patients investigated brace vs. no brace among patients whose time after injury was not specified.67 Patients wore the back orthosis for 6 months. Pain, function, and well-being measures favored the brace group at 6 months
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 60 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 5 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Brace vs. control
Brace vs. control
Brace vs. control
Brace vs. control
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
BRACE VS. NO BRACE
Table 61 Brace vs. No Brace – Pain and Limitations of Daily Living
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
(95% CI)*
Pain – Miltner's rating scale
Limitations of daily living –
Limitations of daily living –
12.7 (9.7, 15.7)
*Difference in change scores
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 6
We are unable to recommend for or against a supervised or unsupervised exercise
program for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on
imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not
allow a recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive
recommendation means that there is a lack of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear
balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation
labeled as Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence
that clarifies or helps to determine the balance between benefits and potential harm.
Patient preference should have a substantial influencing role.
Rationale
A single Level II study evaluated fractures with low back pain of greater than 3 months' duration using a home-based exercise program compared to a control group continuing usual activities using the Osteoporosis Quality of Life Questionnaire, which evaluates 5 domains.68 We downgraded this recommendation to inconclusive because the low back pain experienced by patients in this study may not be the direct result of a specific spinal compression fracture. Results did favor exercise to improve the symptom domain at 6 and 12 months and the emotion domain at 6 months but not at 12 months. There was no difference in the physical function domain at 6 or 12 months. When evaluating the domain of activities of daily living there was no difference at 6 months but there was evidence favoring exercise at 12 months. In evaluating the leisure/social domain there was evidence to support exercise at the 6 month level but no difference at the 12 month level. The clinical importance of these outcomes is unknown. There was no documentation that the back pain measured was a direct result of the fracture.
Supporting Evidence
One study with moderately reliable data enrolling 60 patients compared a home-based exercise program vs. a control group continuing usual activities.68 The patients had a chronic injury (>3 months since fracture). Several domains of the Osteoporosis Quality of Life Questionnaire favored the exercise group at either 6 or 12 months, but the Sickness Impact Profile showed no significant difference -
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 62 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 6 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
EXERCISE VS. NO EXERCISE
Table 63 Exercise vs. Control - Osteoporosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ)
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
0.44 (0.16, 0.73)
12 months 0.38 (-0.05, 0.81)
0.34 (0.02, 0.66)
12 months 0.30 (-0.21, 0.81)
0.22 (-0.08, 0.52)
12 months 0.16 (-0.35, 0.68)
0.17 (-0.09, 0.43)
12 months 0.34 (-0.11, 0.79)
0.39 (-0.02, 0.81)
12 months 0.26 (-0.22, 0.74)
*Baseline-adjusted p-values
Table 64 Exercise vs. Control - Sickness Impact Profile (SIP)
Difference
Clinically
Duration between groups Favors*
Evidence
Important?
SIP Physical Domain
0.80 (-1.52, 3.13
SIP Psychosocial Domain 6 months 0.09 (-3.21, 3.41)
0.55 (-1.81, 2.91)
*Baseline-adjusted p-values
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 7
We are unable to recommend for or against electrical stimulation for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal
compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not allow a recommendation for or
against the intervention. An Inconclusive recommendation means that there is a lack of compelling evidence resulting in an
unclear balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation labeled as Inconclusive, exercise
clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence that clarifies or helps to determine the balance between benefits and
potential harm. Patient preference should have a substantial influencing role.
Rationale
One Level I study addressed the use of electrical stimulation limited to symptomatic patients with chronic vertebral compression fractures, with short term follow up of three months.69 This study had insufficient power to find a difference in this treatment when compared to a control group for the critical outcome measure of pain relief as well as quality of life. A surrogate outcome measure of change in use of NSAIDs was reported but the change in use was based on percentage of patients using less NSAIDs with electrical stimulation as opposed to the actual amount of NSAIDs used by individual patients. This outcome measure has little clinical significance and no quantitative measure to gauge pre vs. post treatment effect. Because of the inability to detect a difference in pain (an outcome that is critical to understand treatment effectiveness) or quality of life ,the evidence is inconclusive and we are unable to recommend for or against this treatment.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Supporting Evidence
One study with reliable data from 41 patients compared CCEF stimulation vs. placebo stimulation.69 Patients had had
a fracture for greater than 6 months, and all patients began the study taking analgesic medication. The study lacked
power to detect a significant difference in pain or quality of life between the two groups. At 10 and 11 weeks only, the
active treatment group had significantly fewer patients continuing NSAID usage-
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 65 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 7 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 65 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 7 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 65 Quality of Included Study for Recommendation 7 - Randomized Trial
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
CCEF stimulation vs. placebo
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
ELECTRICAL STIMULATION VS. PLACEBO
Figure 5 CCEF Stimulation vs. Placebo - Difference in Pain
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 66 CCEF Stimulation vs. Placebo - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
-0.7 (-4.2, 2.8)
-0.7 (-4.2, 2.8)
-1.5 (-5.0, 2.0)
Study lacked sufficient power to detect large effect
Table 67 CCEF Stimulation vs. Placebo - Quality of Life
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
-1.8 (-11.0, 7.4)
-6.4 (-15.6, 2.8)
-4.8 (-14.0, 4.4)
-4.2 (-13.4, 5.0)
*Quality of life questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis; study lacked sufficient power to detect large effect
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 68 CCEF Stimulation vs. Placebo - Patients continuing NSAID usage
Time After
Duration
Evidence
0.32 (0.07, 1.38)
0.30 (0.06, 1.35)
0.67 (0.13, 3.15)
0.28 (0.02, 1.91)
0.56 (0.08, 3.52)
0.22 (0.004, 2.64)
0.36 (0.03, 2.61)
0.44 (0.06, 2.56)
0.13 (0.003, 1.32)
0.07 (0.002, 0.65)
0.09 (0.002, 0.81)
0.18 (0.02, 1.16)
Study lacked sufficient power to detect large effect for each non-significant outcome; shaded cell indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 8
We recommend against vertebroplasty for patients who present with an osteoporotic
spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and
who are neurologically intact.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Description: Evidence is based on two or more "High" strength studies with consistent
findings for recommending for or against the intervention. A Strong recommendation
means that the benefits of the recommended approach clearly exceed the potential harm
(or that the potential harm clearly exceeds the benefits in the case of a strong negative
recommendation), and that the strength of the supporting evidence is high.
Implications: Practitioners should follow a Strong recommendation unless a clear and
compelling rationale for an alternative approach is present.
Rationale
There are two Level I studies that compare vertebroplasty to a sham procedure.1, 70 These studies report no statistically significant difference between the two procedures in pain using the VAS and function using the Roland Morris Disability scale (up to one month and six months respectively).
These studies have been criticized for a variety of reasons. It has been argued that one of the trials1 was underpowered. However, this study did have sufficient power to detect the minimally clinically important (MCII) difference in pain (see Supporting Evidence section for details). Although crossover of patients after one month may have influenced the results in one of these studies,70 there was no crossover in the other study1 which also found no statistically significant or clinically important differences. Furthermore, crossover does not affect the lack of benefit for pain and function that the authors measured at one month.
Another concern was the low participation rate of eligible patients. This is an issue of external validity (generalizability) and not internal validity. The work group discussed this flaw, but chose not to downgrade this study for applicability because the trial authors noted that the enrolled patients were comparable to patients seen in routine care.[ref]
Furthermore, it has been proposed that vertebroplasty works better with certain fracture types than others. There are no prospective studies that report significant differences in outcomes based on fracture type.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
It has also been proposed that vertebroplasty works better in patients that have more pain than those that were included in these trials. The baseline pain in both these trials was approximately 7 on a scale from 0 to 10. Other comparative studies had a baseline pain of about 8 and also had a mainly negative outcome.55, 71, 72
We recognize that a sham procedure may still introduce bias in the results (e.g. surgeons who know they are performing a sham procedure can unintentionally convey expectations to their patients) but there are also three other Level II studies that do not use a sham procedure as a control and they report similar results. One of these studies found clinically important pain relief at 24 hours.72 At six weeks pain relief was still statistically significant but not clinically important. After six weeks the effect was not statistically or clinically important (observations to two years). One study reported results for pain that were statistically significant and possibly clinically important at one day but inconclusive at two weeks.71 Another study found inconclusive results at three months.55
By making a strong recommendation against the use of vertebroplasty we are expressing our confidence that future evidence is unlikely to overturn the results of these trials.
Supporting Evidence
Two studies with reliable data enrolling a total of 209 patients compared vertebroplasty to placebo.1, 70 One study included patients with subacute fractures (9 weeks since injury),1 while the other included chronic fractures (18 weeks).70 In the study of patients with subacute fractures, after the surgery all participants received usual care according to the discretion of the treating physician.1 In the study of patients with chronic fractures, patients were allowed to cross over to the alternative treatment after one month.70 There were no significant differences in pain, function, or quality of life in either study
Three additional studies with moderately reliable data enrolling a total of 210 patients compared vertebroplasty to conservative treatment.55, 71, 72 Two studies were of patients with acute injuries, 55, 72 while the other included patients with subacute injuries (mean time after injury 11.6 weeks).71 In the randomized trial of patients with acute injuries, patients in both groups were offered pain medication and physiotherapy, while only patients in the conservative group were offered brace treatment.55 In the non-randomized trial of patients with acute injuries, all patients were offered similar analgesia and osteoporosis medications.72 In the randomized trial of patients with subacute injuries, patients were treated with pain medication according to individual needs.71 Pain was significantly reduced for one day in the vertebroplasty group, but not for longer durations (the significant result at 6 weeks is not clinically important). Function was improved for 2 weeks in one study and 6 weeks in another, but was no longer significant beyond 6 months. Quality of life and analgesic use favored the vertebroplasty group at 2 weeks. Fracture-related mortality was significantly reduced in the vertebroplasty group, but overall mortality was not-
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Power calculations referenced in Rationale:While the study's a priori power analysis indicated that the study was powered to detect a between-group difference in pain of 2.5 units on VAS, further analysis indicated that the study was also powered sufficiently to detect the minimally clinically important difference of 1.5 units on VAS. Using the study's baseline standard deviation of 2.2 units, the minimum sample size required to have sufficient power to detect a 1.5 unit difference was 35 patients per group. The study enrolled 38 patients in the vertebroplasty group and 40 patients in the placebo group.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
Table 69 Summary of Vertebroplasty Outcomes
months months months months
Dallas Pain Questionnaire (all subtests)
Pain Bothersome Index
Pain Frequency Index
Pain in bed at night
Roland Morris Disability
circle-vertebroplasty compared to placebo w/usual care; square-vertebroplasty compared to conservative treatment
green-clinically important in favor of vertebroplasty; blue-possibly clinically important in favor of vertebroplasty;
yellow-not clinically important in favor of vertebroplasty; red-statistically significant in favor of placebo/conservative;
grey-statistically significant; open-not statistically significant, X-underpowered study
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 70 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 8 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
SF-36 (physical)
DPQ (anxiety and
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
DPQ (daily activities)
Vertebroplasty vs.
DPQ (social interest)
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 70 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 8 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 70 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 8 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 70 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 8 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 70 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 8 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Pain Bothersomeness
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Pain Frequency Index
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Roland-Morris score
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 71 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 8 - Prospective Comparative Study
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
VERTEBROPLASTY VS. PLACEBO
Figure 6 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Difference in Pain
Figure 7 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Difference in Physical Function
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 72 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
(95% CI)*
-0.4 (-1.5, 0.5)
-0.7 (-1.8, 0.4)
-0.2 (-1.5, 1.1)
-0.1 (-1.3, 1.1)
-0.2 (-1.6, 1.1)
*Baseline-adjusted differences
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 73 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Physical Function
Difference between
Clinically
Duration
Evidence
groups (95% CI)*
Important?
-0.9 (-2.7, 0.8)
-2.1 (-5.2, 0.9)
-0.6 (-2.4, 1.2)
Disability (RMD)
-1.5 (-4.8, 1.7)
*Baseline-adjusted differences
Table 74 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Physical and Mental Health
Difference
Clinically
Duration
Evidence
groups (95%
Important?
SF-36 Physical Component
SF-36 Mental Component
*Baseline-adjusted differences
Table 75 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Analgesic Use
Time After
Duration
OR (95% CI)*
Evidence
1.15 (0.98, 1.35)
*Baseline-adjusted differences
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 76 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Quality of Life
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
(95% CI)*
0.05 (-0.01, 0.11)
Quality of Life)
-4.0 (-7.8, -0.2)
*Baseline-adjusted differences
Table 77 Vertebroplasty vs. Placebo – Adverse Events
Duration
Evidence
Adverse Events (other
than incident fractures)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
VERTEBROPLASTY VS. CONSERVATIVE
Figure 8 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Difference in Pain
Figure 9 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Difference in Physical Function (Barthel Index)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 78 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
0.4 (-0.3, 1.1)*
0.4 (-0.1, 0.9)*
*Study used 0-25 scale; data has been normalized to 0-10 scale; Voormolen and Rousing studies lacked sufficient power to detect large effect for each non-significant outcome
Table 79.Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Physical Function
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 80 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Quality of Life
Difference
Time After
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
Table 81 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Physical and Mental Health
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
SF-36 Physical Component
4.7 (-1.2, 10.6)
SF-36 Mental Component
2.7 (-5.6, 11.0)
Dallas Pain Questionnaire
-10.3 (-32.9, 12.3)
(DPQ) daily activities
DPQ work and leisure
-20.7 (-41.9, 0.5)
DPQ anxiety and depression
-11.3 (-35.1, 12.5)
DPQ social interest
-6.6 (-25.4, 12.2)
Study lacked sufficient power to detect large effect for each outcome
Table 82 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Analgesic Use
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 83 Vertebroplasty vs. Conservative – Adverse Events
Vertebroplasty Conservative
Hazard Ratio
Duration
Evidence
Shaded cell indicates favored treatment
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RECOMMENDATION 9
Kyphoplasty is an option for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal
compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who
are neurologically intact.
Quality of
Quantity of
Critical
Evidence
Evidence
Downgrade
Outcome(s)
Strength of Recommendation: Limited
Description: Evidence from two or more "Low" strength studies with consistent findings,
or evidence from a single "Moderate" quality study recommending for or against the
intervention or diagnostic. A Limited recommendation means the quality of the
supporting evidence that exists is unconvincing, or that well-conducted studies show little
clear advantage to one approach versus another.
Implications: Practitioners should exercise clinical judgment when following a
recommendation classified as Limited, and should be alert to emerging evidence that
might negate the current findings. Patient preference should have a substantial
influencing role.
Rationale
Two Level II studies examined the use of kyphoplasty compared to conservative treatment.54, 73 One study examined subacute fractures54 while the other study examined chronic fractures.73 In the study of patients with subacute fractures, clinically important benefits in pain were found at 1 week and 1 month, with possibly important effects at 3 and 6 months. There was no clinically important benefit in pain at 12 months. The study also found possibly clinically important benefits in physical function (at 1 and 3 months only) and the SF-36 physical component score (at 1, 3, and 6 months only). Clinically important improvement in quality of life was present at 1 month, and it was possibly clinically important at 3, 6, and 12 months.
In the chronic fractures study, all patients had fractures that were greater than one year old, raising the question as to whether the fracture was responsible for all of the pain. There was a statistically significant and possibly clinically important improvement in pain at 3, 6 and 12 months.
There were also three Level II studies which compared kyphoplasty to vertebroplasty.60, 61, 74 These studies were inconsistent in design and outcome. In the first study, patients were treated at a median of 8 weeks after a fracture.60 No conservative treatment control group was included. Kyphoplasty was favored over vertebroplasty when pain was measured out to two years. Repeat kyphoplasty in this study was a confounding factor. In
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
the second study 21 patients were treated.74 Both groups experienced similar pain relief at 6 months, although there was insufficient power to find a difference. In the third and most recent study, 100 patients received either kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty within 43 days of fracture.61 There was no difference in pain outcomes between the treatment groups at 3 days and 6 months.
When considering the technical similarities between kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty and the unique recommendations for their use within this guideline, several points deserve mention.
• The comparison of vertebroplasty to a sham procedure confirms the lack of
benefit from vertebroplasty for critical outcomes.
• Both procedures were compared to similar control groups. In the case of
kyphoplasty the comparison to conservative treatment resulted in possible clinically important differences for critical outcomes up to 12 months whereas vertebroplasty compared to conservative treatment showed only possible clinically important differences for critical outcomes at 1 day.
• The direct comparison between vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty is logically
consistent with the previous two points in as much as it shows a possibly clinically important advantage in critical outcomes for kyphoplasty at durations up to 2 years.
These points alone merit a moderate strength recommendation for kyphoplasty due to the two Level II studies which compared kyphoplasty to conservative treatment. However, the comparisons between vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are important. The results of the direct comparisons between kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are not repeated across all studies which lowers our confidence that future studies will confirm the results of the current evidence. Thus, the recommendation is downgraded from moderate to limited and kyphoplasty is an option, for patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms and who are neurologically intact.
Supporting Evidence
Two studies with moderately reliable data enrolling a total of 360 patients compared kyphoplasty to conservative treatment.54, 73 One study was of patients with 6 weeks since injury,54 while the other study was of patients with a chronic injury (>12 months).73 In the study of patients with an acute injury, all participants received analgesics, bed rest, braces, physiotherapy, rehabilitation programs, and walking aids according to each hospital's standard practice.54 In the study of patients with a chronic injury, all patients received calcium, vitamin D, an oral amino-bisphosphonate, regular physiotherapy, and pain medication.73 In both studies, pain was reduced significantly more in the kyphoplasty group for 12 months, while function was improved for at least 6 months. Quality of life was measured in one study, and it was improved for 12 months in the kyphoplasty gr
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Three additional studies with moderately reliable data enrolling a total of 172 patients compared kyphoplasty with vertebroplasty.60, 61, 74 One study included patients with acute fractures (2 weeks since injury),61 another included patients with subacute fractures (8 weeks),60 and the third included patients with time to injury of less than 6 months.74 Only one study reported clinically important differences in pain (subacute fractures study), and the results favored kyphoplasty. There were no significant differences in functi-
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
Table 84 Summary of Kyphoplasty Outcomes
Roland Morris Disability
EVOS Physical Function
Restricted Activity
square-kyphoplasty compared to conservative treatment; circle-kyphoplasty compared to vertebroplasty;
green-clinically important in favor of kyphoplasty; blue-possibly clinically important in favor of kyphoplasty;
yellow-not clinically important in favor of kyphoplasty;
red-not clinically important in favor of vertebroplasty
grey-statistically significant; open-not statistically significant, X-underpowered study
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
STUDY QUALITY
Table 85 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 9 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 85 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 9 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Days of Restricted
Days of Restricted
Days of Restricted
Days of Restricted
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 85 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 9 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
SF-36 (physical)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 85 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 9 - Randomized Trials
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
SF-36 (physical)
SF-36 (physical)
SF-36 (physical)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 86 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 9 - Prospective Comparative Studies
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 86 Quality of Included Studies for Recommendation 9 - Prospective Comparative Studies
× = Not Reported
Duration
Treatments
Evidence
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
Vertebroplasty vs.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
KYPHOPLASTY VS. CONSERVATIVE
Figure 10 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative – Difference in Pain
Figure 11 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative – Difference in Physical Function (Roland-Morris
Disability)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 87 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative - Pain
Difference
Time After
Clinically
Duration
Evidence
groups (95%
Important?
*Baseline-adjusted difference; 3 month data from Grafe study is from interim report75
Table 88 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative - Physical Function
Difference
Time After
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
10.6 (0.9, 20.3)
10.2 (-1.0, 21.4)
*Baseline-adjusted difference
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 89 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative - SF-36 Physical Component Score (PCS)
Difference
Time After
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
1.5 (-0.8, 3.9)*
*Baseline-adjusted difference
Table 90 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative – Quality of Life
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
0.18 (0.08, 0.28)*
0.10 (0.02, 0.18)
0.12 (0.04, 0.20)
0.12 (0.01, 0.22)*
*Baseline-adjusted difference
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 91 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative – Restricted Activity
Difference
Time After
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
1.6 (-0.1, 3.3)*
*Baseline-adjusted difference
Table 92 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative – Opioid Use
Time After
Kyphoplasty
Duration
Evidence
0.66 (0.37, 1.17)
0.48 (0.27, 0.85)
0.43 (0.24, 0.76)
0.59 (0.33, 1.04)
0.76 (0.40, 1.41)
Shaded cell indicates favored treatment
Table 93 Kyphoplasty vs. Conservative – Adverse Events
Time After
Kyphoplasty
Duration
Evidence
1.63 (0.83, 3.24)
1.14 (0.70, 1.88)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
KYPHOPLASTY VS. VERTEBROPLASTY
Figure 12 Kyphoplasty vs. Vertebroplasty - Difference in Pain
Figure 13 Kyphoplasty vs. Vertebroplasty - Difference in Physical Function
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
Table 94 Kyphoplasty vs. Vertebroplasty - Pain
Difference
Clinically
Duration
between groups
Evidence
Important?
-0.4 (-1.3, 0.5)
-0.5 (-1.7, 0.7)*
-0.1 (-0.8, 0.7)
-0.3 (-0.5, -0.1)
-0.1 (-0.7, 0.4)
Both the De Negri and Grohs studies lacked sufficient power to detect a large effect for each non-significant outcome; *from median and range
Table 95 Kyphoplasty vs. Vertebroplasty – Physical Function
Time After
Difference between
Clinically
Duration
Evidence
groups (95% CI)
Important?
4.0 (-1.9, 9.9)*
2.5 (-3.0, 8.0)*
-2.0 (-8.4, 4.4)*
Both studies lacked sufficient power to detect a large effect for each outcome; *from median and range
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
RECOMMENDATION 10
We are unable to recommend for or against improvement of kyphosis angle in the
treatment of patients who present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on
imaging with correlating clinical signs and symptoms.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not
allow a recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive
recommendation means that there is a lack of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear
balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation
labeled as Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence
that clarifies or helps to determine the balance between benefits and potential harm.
Patient preference should have a substantial influencing role.
Rationale
We found no study which addressed sagittal balance correction and properly correlated
kyphosis angle with any patient-oriented outcome. All studies retrieved for this
recommendation either examined only a single vertebrae as opposed to regional kyphosis
or did not report the correlation between a change in kyphosis angle and a change in any
patient-oriented outcome.
Supporting Evidence
We found no studies which examined the correlation between a change in regional kyphosis angle and any patient-oriented outcome.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
RECOMMENDATION 11
We are unable to recommend for or against any specific treatment for patients who
present with an osteoporotic spinal compression fracture on imaging with correlating
clinical signs and symptoms and who are not neurologically intact.
Strength of Recommendation: Inconclusive
Description: Evidence from a single low quality study or conflicting findings that do not
allow a recommendation for or against the intervention. An Inconclusive
recommendation means that there is a lack of compelling evidence resulting in an unclear
balance between benefits and potential harm.
Implications: Practitioners should feel little constraint in following a recommendation
labeled as Inconclusive, exercise clinical judgment, and be alert for emerging evidence
that clarifies or helps to determine the balance between benefits and potential harm.
Patient preference should have a substantial influencing role.
Rationale
Patients who present with neurological symptoms and osteoporotic spinal compression fractures clearly require treatment because they face pain, diminished function, and increased mortality.68 However, despite the need to treat such patients, there is an absence of studies that examine which treatments are most effective for these patients. Therefore, we are unable to recommend for or against any specific treatment.
Supporting Evidence
No studies met the inclusion criteria for this guideline.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
FUTURE RESEARCH
The work group realizes that the paucity of good quality research studies has limited the
strength of the recommendations. This underscores the necessity for further work in this
area. In particular, we hope that Level I studies are carried out to determine the
effectiveness of modalities such as bracing, physical therapy/exercise, and kyphoplasty in
the treatment of these fractures.
Our review suggests that radiographic fracture is not a reliable surrogate measure of symptomatic fracture. In many of the studies we reviewed the presence of a radiographic fracture, even if chronic, was postulated to be the source of back pain symptoms with no clear rational for that determination. This emphasizes the need for long term prospective studies on the natural history of osteoporotic spinal insufficiency fractures. There are comments in the literature about various fracture parameters such as type, location, degree of kyphosis, etc. as being clinically important. Unfortunately, this has not been adequately studied. Guidelines are living documents. Based on the fluid nature of guidelines, the work group anticipates that future research will address some of the recommendations in this guideline. We welcome further well-designed high quality research that will help clarify the recommendations in this guideline. We also welcome the opportunity to review the literature again in the future. The work group hopes that additional good quality studies will become available to address some of the many inadequately and unanswered questions in this guideline.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
IV. APPENDIXES
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
APPENDIX I
Seattle, WA 98105
WORK GROUP
Stephen I Esses, MD, Chair
Southwest Orthopedic Group
Evidence Based Practice Committee Chair
6560 Fannin St Ste 1016
Michael Keith, MD
Houston TX 77030-2761
2500 Metro Health Drive
Cleveland, OH 44109-1900
Robert McGuire, MD, Vice-Chair
University of Mississippi Medical Center
AAOS Staff:
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Charles M. Turkelson, PhD
Director of Research and Scientific Affairs
Jackson MS 39216-4500
6300 N. River Rd, Suite 503
Rosemont, IL 60018
John Jenkins, MD
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Janet L. Wies, MPH
Division of Rheumatology, Dept of
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Manager
Patrick Sluka, MPH
Jackson MS 39216-4500
AAOS Research Analyst
Joel Finkelstein, MD
Kevin M. Boyer
2075 Bayview Ave MG361
AAOS Research Analyst
Toronto ON M4N3M
Kristin Hitchcock, MLS
Eric Woodard, MD
AAOS Medical Librarian
New England Baptist Hospital
125 Parker Hill Ave.
Special Acknowledgements
Sara Anderson, MPH
Laura Raymond, MA
Guidelines and Technology Oversight Chair
William C. Watters III MD
6624 Fannin #2600
Houston, TX 77030
Guidelines and Technology Oversight
Vice-Chair
Michael J. Goldberg, MD
Department of Orthopaedics
Seattle Children's Hospital 4800 Sand Point Way NE
AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Unit
APPENDIX II
AAOS BODIES THAT APPROVED THIS CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE
Guidelines and Technology Oversight Committee
The AAOS Guidelines and Technology Oversight Committee (GTOC) consists of sixteen
AAOS members. The overall purpose of this Committee is to oversee the development of
the clinical practice guidelines, performance measures, health technology assessments
and utilization guidelines.
Evidence Based Practice Committee
The AAOS Evidence Based Practice Committee (EBPC) consists of ten AAOS members.
This Committee provides review, planning and oversight for all activities related to
quality improvement in orthopaedic practice, including, but not limited to evidence-based
guidelines, performance measures, and outcomes.
Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and Technology
To enhance the mission of the AAOS, the Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and
Technology promotes the most ethically and scientifically sound basic, clinical, and
translational research possible to ensure the future care for patients with musculoskeletal
disorders. The Council also serves as the primary resource to educate its members, the
public, and public policy makers regarding evidenced-based medical practice,
orthopaedic devices and biologics, regulatory pathways and standards development,
patient safety, occupational health, technology assessment, and other related areas of
importance.
The Council is comprised of the chairs of the AAOS Biological Implants, Biomedical Engineering, Evidence Based Practice, Guidelines and Technology Oversight, Occupational Health and Workers' Compensation, Patient Safety, Research Development, and US Bone and Joint Decade committees. Also on the Council are the AAOS second vice-president, representatives of the Diversity Advisory Board, the Women's Health Issues Advisory Board, the Board of Specialty Societies (BOS), the Board of Councilors (BOC), the Communications Cabinet, the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), and three members at large.
Board of Directors
The 17 member AAOS Board of Directors manages the affairs of the AAOS, sets policy,
and determines and continually reassesses the Strategic Plan.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
DOCUMENTATION OF APPROVAL
AAOS Work Group Draft Completed
Peer Review Completed
Public Commentary Completed
AAOS Guidelines and Technology Oversight Committee September 3, 2010
AAOS Evidence Based Practice Committee
September 3, 2010
AAOS Council on Research Quality Assessment
September 7, 2010
AAOS Board of Directors
September 24, 2010
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX III
STUDY ATTRITION FLOWCHART
6521 citations identified by literature search
1956 citations excluded
4565 abstracts screened for inclusion
3854 abstracts excluded
711 articles recalled for full text review
661 articles excluded
50 articles included
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX IV
LITERATURE SEARCHES
Search Strategy for PubMed/MEDLINE #1 "Fractures, Compression"[mh] OR ((compression[tiab] OR insufficiency[tiab] OR collaps*[tiab] OR osteoporo*[tiab] OR pathologic*[tiab]) AND (fracture*[tiab] OR "Spinal Fractures"[mh]) AND (spine[tiab] OR spinal[tiab] OR vertebr*[tiab] OR dorsolumbar[tiab] OR lumbar[tiab] OR "Lumbar Vertebrae"[mh] OR thoracic[mh] OR "Thoracic Vertebrae"[mh] OR "spinal injuries"[mh]))
#2 "Bed rest"[mh] OR (bed[tiab] AND rest[tiab]) OR "Physical Therapy Modalities"[mh] OR "physical therapy" OR physiotherap*[tiab] OR brace[tiab] OR bracing[tiab] OR "Complementary Therapies"[mh] OR acupuncture[tiab] OR magnet[tiab] OR magnets[tiab] OR "Electric stimulation"[mh] OR (electric*[tiab] AND stimulat*[tiab]) OR complementary[tiab] OR alternative[tiab] OR drug therapy[sh] OR Analgesics[mh] OR analgesics[pa] OR NSAID[tiab] OR opioid*[tiab] OR (muscle[tiab] AND relax*[tiab]) OR "Muscle Relaxants, Central"[mh] OR acetaminophen[tiab] OR naproxen[tiab] OR ibuprofen[tiab] OR hydrocodone[tiab] OR oxycodone[tiab] OR oxycontin[tiab] OR morphine[tiab] OR benzodiazepine*[tiab] OR tramadol[tiab] OR Steroids[mh] OR steroid*[tiab] OR prednisone[tiab] OR Glucocorticoids[mh] OR Glucocorticoids[pa] OR solumedrol[tiab] OR fentanyl[tiab] OR lidoderm[tiab] OR aspirin[tiab] OR codeine[tiab] OR "Bone Density Conservation Agents"[mh] OR "Bone Density Conservation Agents"[pa] OR Diphosphonates[mh] OR bisphosphonate*[tiab] OR alendronate[tiab] OR fosamax[tiab] OR calcitonin[tiab] OR surgery[sh] OR surgical[tiab] OR surgery[tiab] OR repair*[tiab] OR "Orthopedic procedures"[mh] OR (percutaneous[tiab] AND vertebral[tiab] AND augmentation[tiab]) OR PMMA[tiab] OR " Polymethyl Methacrylate"[substance] OR (polymethyl[tiab] AND methacrylate[tiab]) OR Vertebroplasty[mh] OR vertebroplasty[tiab] OR kyphoplasty[tiab] OR "Bone Cements"[mh] OR "Bone Cements"[pa] OR BMP[tiab] OR (bone[tiab] AND morphogenic[tiab] AND (protein[tiab] OR proteins[tiab]))
#3 English[lang] AND 1966:2009[pdat] NOT (animal[mh] NOT human[mh]) NOT ((child[mh] OR infant[mh] OR adolescent[mh]) NOT adult[mh]) NOT (cadaver[mh] OR "in vitro"[pt] OR comment[pt] OR editorial[pt] OR letter[pt] OR addresses[pt] OR news[pt] OR "newspaper article"[pt] OR "historical article"[pt] OR "case report"[title])
#5 Medline[tw] OR systematic review[tiab] OR Meta-analysis[pt]
#7 "Clinical Trial"[pt] OR (clinical[tiab] AND trial[tiab]) OR random*[tw] OR "Therapeutic use"[sh]
#8 (#4 AND #7) NOT #5
#9 #4 NOT (#7 OR #5)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Search strategy for EMBASE #1 'Compression fracture'/de OR ((compression OR insufficiency OR collaps* OR osteoporo* OR pathologic*) AND (fracture* OR 'Spine fracture'/de) AND (spine OR spinal OR vertebr* OR dorsolumbar OR lumbar OR 'lumbar vertebra'/de OR thoracic OR vertebra/de OR 'spine injury'/de))
#2 'bed rest'/de OR (bed AND rest) OR 'physical medicine'/exp OR 'physical therapy' OR physiotherap* OR brace OR bracing OR 'alternative medicine'/de OR acupuncture/de OR acupuncture OR magnet OR 'nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent'/exp OR 'narcotic analgesic agent'/exp OR opioid* OR 'muscle relaxant agent'/exp OR (muscle AND relax*) OR acetaminophen OR naproxen OR ibuprofen OR hydrocodone OR oxycodone OR oxycontin OR morphine OR benzodiazepine* OR tramadol OR steroid* OR prednisone OR steroid/exp OR solumedrol OR fentanyl OR lidoderm OR aspirin OR codeine OR 'bone density conservation agent'/de OR bisphosphonate* OR 'bisphosphonic acid derivative'/exp OR alendronate OR fosamax OR calcitonin OR surgical OR surgery OR repair* OR 'orthopedic surgery'/exp OR 'percutaneous vertebral augmentation' OR PMMA OR 'poly(methyl methacrylate)'/de OR 'polymethyl methacrylate' OR 'percutaneous vertebroplasty'/de OR vertebroplasty OR kyphoplasty/de OR kyphoplasty OR 'bone cement'/exp OR BMP OR 'bone morhpogenic protein*' OR 'bone morphogenetic protein'/de
#3 [english]/lim AND [humans]/lim AND [embase]/lim NOT (cadaver/de OR 'in vitro study'/exp OR ‘case report':ti OR 'abstract report'/de OR book/de OR editorial/de OR letter/de OR note/de)
#5 ('meta analysis' OR 'systematic review' OR medline)
#7 random* OR 'clinical trial' OR 'health care quality'/exp
#8 (#4 AND #7) NOT #5
#9 #4 NOT (#7 OR #5)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Search Strategy for CINAHL S1 ( compression OR insufficiency OR collaps* OR osteoporo* OR pathologic* ) and ( fracture* OR MH "Spinal Fractures" ) and ( spine OR spinal OR vertebr* OR dorsolumbar OR lumbar OR MH "Lumbar Vertebrae" OR MH "Thoracic Vertebrae" OR thoracic OR MH "Spinal Injuries" )
S2 MH "Fractures, Compression"
S4 MH "bed rest" OR "bed rest" OR MH "Bed Rest Care (Iowa NIC)" OR MH "Physical Therapy +" OR "physical therapy" OR physiotherapy* OR MH "Orthoses" OR brace OR bracing OR MH "Alternative Therapies +" OR acupuncture OR magnet OR magnets OR MH "Electric Stimulation" OR "electric stimulat*" OR MH "acupuncture +" OR MH "Analgesics, Opioid +" OR NSAID OR opioid* OR MH "Antiinflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal +" OR MH "Muscle Relaxants, Central +" OR "muscle relax*" OR acetaminophen OR naproxen OR ibuprofen OR hydrocodone OR oxycodone OR oxycontin OR morphine OR benzodiazepine* OR tramadol OR MH "Steroids" OR steroid* OR prednisone OR solumedrol OR fentanyl OR lidoderm OR aspirin OR codeine OR MH "Diphosphonates +" OR fosamax OR alendronate OR calcitonin OR surgical OR surgery OR repair* OR MH "Orthopedic Surgery +" OR "percutaneous vertebral augmentation" OR PMMA OR "polymethyl methacrylate" OR vertebroplasty OR kyphoplasty OR MH "Bone Cements" OR BMP OR "bone morphogenic protein*"
S5 LA English not (PT "editorial" or PT "letter" or PT "case study" or TI "case report")
S7 "meta analysis" or PT "review" or PT "systematic review"
S9 MH "treatment outcomes+" OR MH "experimental studies" OR random*
Search strategy for Cochrane Library (spine OR spinal OR vertebr*) AND (compression OR insufficiency) AND fracture AND (surgery OR surgical OR repair OR treat* OR therap*)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX V
DATA EXTRACTION ELEMENTS
The data elements below were extracted into electronic forms in Microsoft® Access. The
extracted information includes:
Study Characteristics
• methods of randomization and allocation
• blinding of patients and evaluators
• loss to follow-up • study design
Patient Characteristics
• patient inclusion/exclusion criteria
• fracture classification
Results (for all relevant outcomes in a study)
• outcome measure • duration of follow up
• mean or median
• measure of dispersion
• results of hypothesis testing
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX VI
JUDGING THE QUALITY OF TREATMENT STUDIES
RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS
Did the study employ stochastic randomization?
Was there concealment of allocation?
Were subjects blinded to the treatment they received?
Were those who assessed/rated the patient's outcomes blinded to the group to which the patients were assigned?
Was there more than 80% follow-up for all patients in the control group and the experimental group on the outcome of interest?
Did patients in the different study groups have similar levels of performance on ALL of the outcome variables at the time they were assigned to groups?
For randomized crossover studies, was there evidence that the results obtained in the study's two experimental groups (in period 1 and 2) did not differ?
For randomized crossover studies, was there evidence that the results of the two control groups (in period 1 and 2) did not differ?
PROSPECTIVE NON- RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES
Were the characteristics of patients in the different study groups comparable at the beginning of the study?
Did patients in the different study groups have similar levels of performance on ALL of the outcome variables at baseline?
Were all of the study's groups concurrently treated?
Was there more than 80% follow-up for all patients in the control group and the experimental group on the outcome of interest?
Did the study avoid collecting control group data from one center and experimental group data from another?
For crossover studies, was there evidence that the results obtained in the study's two experimental groups (in period 1 and 2) did not differ?
For crossover studies, was there evidence that the results of the two control groups (in period 1 and 2) did not differ?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
RETROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDIES
Was there less than 20% difference in completion rates in the study's groups?
Were all of the study's groups concurrently treated?
Was the same treatment given to all patients enrolled in the experimental and
Were the same laboratory tests, clinical findings, psychological instruments, etc. used to measure the outcomes in all of the study's groups?
Were the follow-up times in all of the study's relevant groups approximately equal?
Was there more than 80% follow-up for all patients in the control group and the experimental group on the outcome of interest?
Did the study avoid collecting control group data from one center and experimental group data from another?
Did patients in the different study groups have similar levels of performance on ALL of the outcome variables at the time they were assigned to groups?
Were the characteristics of patients in the different study groups comparable at the beginning of the study?
Was enrollment in the study consecutive?
Was there more than 80% follow-up for all patients on the outcome of interest?
Were the same laboratory tests, clinical findings, psychological instruments, etc. used to measure the outcomes in all patients?
Were the patients instructed/not given concomitant or adjuvant treatments?
Were the follow-up times for all patients approximately equal?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
OPINION-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS
A guideline can contain recommendations that are backed by little or no data. Under such circumstances, work groups often issue opinion-based recommendations. Although doing so is sometimes acceptable in an evidence-based guideline (expert opinion is a form of evidence), it is also important to avoid constructing a guideline that liberally uses expert opinion; research shows that expert opinion is often incorrect.
Opinion-based recommendations are developed only if they address a vitally important aspect of patient care. For example, constructing an opinion-based recommendation in favor of taking a history and physical is warranted. Constructing an opinion-based recommendation in favor of a specific modification of a surgical technique is seldom warranted. To ensure that an opinion-based recommendation is absolutely necessary, the AAOS has adopted rules to guide the content of the rationales that underpin such recommendations. These rules are based on those outlined by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).76 Specifically, rationales based on expert opinion must:
• Not contain references to or citations from articles not included in the
systematic review that underpins the recommendation.
• Not contain the AAOS guideline language "We Recommend", "We suggest"
or "treatment x is an option".
• Contain an explanation of the potential preventable burden of disease. This
involves considering both the incidence and/or prevalence of the disease, disorder, or condition and considering the associated burden of suffering. To paraphrase the USPSTF, when evidence is insufficient, provision of a treatment (or diagnostic) for a serious condition might be viewed more favorably than provision of a treatment (or diagnostic) for a condition that does not cause as much suffering. The AAOS (like the USPSTF) understand that evaluating the "burden of suffering" is subjective and involves judgment. This evaluation should be informed by patient values and concerns. The considerations outlined in this bullet make it difficult to recommend new technologies. It is not appropriate for a guideline to recommend widespread use of a technology backed by little data and for which there is limited experience. Such technologies are addressed in the AAOS' Technology Overviews.
• Address potential harms. In general, "When the evidence is insufficient, an
intervention with a large potential for harm (such as major surgery) might be viewed less favorably than an intervention with a small potential for harm (such as advice to watch less television)."76
• Address apparent discrepancies in the logic of different recommendations.
Accordingly, if there are no relevant data for several recommendations and the work group chooses to issue an opinion-based recommendation in some cases
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
but chooses not to make a recommendation in other cases, the rationales for the opinion-based recommendations must explain why this difference exists. Information garnered from the previous bullet points will be helpful in this regard.
• Consider current practice. The USPSTF specifically states that clinicians
justifiably fear that not doing something that is done on a widespread basis will lead to litigation.76 The consequences of not providing a service that is neither widely available nor widely used are less serious than the consequences of not providing a treatment accepted by the medical profession and thus expected by patients. Discussions of available treatments and procedures rely on mutual communication between the patient's guardian and physician, and on weighing the potential risks and benefits for a given patient. The patient's "expectation of treatment" must be tempered by the treating physician's guidance about the reasonable outcomes that the patient can expect.
• Justify, why a more costly device, drug, or procedure is being recommended
over a less costly one whenever such an opinion-based recommendation is made.
Work group members write the rationales for opinion based recommendations on the first day of the final work group meeting. When the work group re-convenes on the second day of its meeting, it will vote on the rationales. The typical voting rules will apply. If the work group cannot adopt a rationale after three votes, the rationale and the opinion-based recommendation will be withdrawn, and a "recommendation" stating that the group can neither recommend for or against the recommendation in question will appear in the guideline.
Discussions of opinion-based rationales may cause some members to change their minds about whether to issue an opinion-based recommendation. Accordingly, at any time during the discussion of the rationale for an opinion-based recommendation, any member of the work group can make a motion to withdraw that recommendation and have the guideline state that the work group can neither recommend for or against the recommendation in question.
CHECKLIST FOR VOTING ON OPINION-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS
When voting on the rationale, please consider the following:
1. Does the recommendation affect a substantial number of patients or address
treatment (or diagnosis) of a condition that causes death and/or considerable suffering?
2. Does the recommendation address the potential harms that will be incurred if it is
implemented and, if these harms are serious, does the recommendation justify;
a. why the potential benefits outweigh the potential harms and/or
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b. why an alternative course of treatment (or diagnostic workup) that
involves less serious or fewer harms is not being recommended?
3. Does the rationale explain why the work group chose to make a recommendation
in the face of minimal evidence while, in other instances, it chose to make no recommendation in the face of a similar amount of evidence?
4. Does the rationale explain that the recommendation is consistent with current
5. If relevant, does the rationale justify why a more costly device, drug, or procedure
is being recommended over a less costly one?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX VII
FORM FOR ASSIGNING STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION
(INTERVENTIONS)
GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATION _
PRELIMINARY STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION:
LIST BENEFITS AND HARMS
Please list the benefits (as demonstrated by the systematic review) of the intervention.
Please list the harms (as demonstrated by the systematic review) of the intervention.
Please list the benefits for which the systematic review is not definitive.
Please list the harms for which the systematic review is not definitive.
IDENTIFY CRITICAL OUTCOMES
Please circle the above outcomes that are critical for determining whether the intervention is beneficial and whether it is harmful.
Are data about critical outcomes lacking to such a degree that you would lower the preliminary strength of the recommendation?
What is the resulting strength of recommendation?
EVALUATE APPLICABILITY OF THE EVIDENCE
Is the applicability of the evidence for any of the critical outcomes so low that substantially worse results are likely to be obtained in actual clinical practice?
Please list the critical outcomes backed by evidence of doubtful applicability.
Should the strength of recommendation be lowered because of low applicability?
What is the resulting strength of recommendation?
BALANCE BENEFITS AND HARMS
Are there trade-offs between benefits and harms that alter the strength of recommendation obtained in STEP 3?
What is the resulting strength of recommendation?
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
CONSIDER STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE
Does the strength of the existing evidence alter the strength of recommendation obtained in STEP 4?
What is the resulting strength of recommendation?
NOTE: Because we are not performing a formal cost analyses, you should only consider costs if their impact is substantial.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX VIII
VOTING BY THE NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE
Voting on guideline recommendations will be conducted using a modification of the nominal group technique (NGT), a method previously used in guideline development.21 Briefly each member of the guideline work group ranks his or her agreement with a guideline recommendation on a scale ranging from 1 to 9 (where 1 is "extremely inappropriate" and 9 is "extremely appropriate"). Consensus is obtained if the number of individuals who do not rate a measure as 7, 8, or 9 is statistically non-significant (as determined using the binomial distribution). Because the number of work group members who are allowed to dissent with the recommendation depends on statistical significance, the number of permissible dissenters varies with the size of the work group. The number of permissible dissenters for several work group sizes is given in the table below:
Number of Permissible
Work group Size
Dissenters
Not allowed, statistical
significance cannot be
The NGT is conducted by first having members vote on a given recommendation without discussion. If the number of dissenters is "permissible", the recommendation is adopted without further discussion. If the number of dissenters is not permissible, there is further discussion to see whether the disagreement(s) can be resolved. Three rounds of voting are held to attempt to resolve disagreements. If disagreements are not resolved after three voting rounds, no recommendation is adopted.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX IX
STRUCTURED PEER REVIEW FORM
Review of any AAOS confidential draft allows us to improve the overall guideline but does not imply endorsement by any
given individual or any specialty society who participates in our review processes. The AAOS review process may result in
changes to the documents; therefore, endorsement cannot be solicited until the AAOS Board of Directors officially approves
the final guideline.
Reviewer Information:
Name of Reviewer _
Address _
City State _ Zip Code _
Phone _Fax _E-mail _
Specialty Area/Discipline: _
Work setting: _Credentials:
May we list you as a Peer Reviewer in the final Guidelines (GL)?
If you do not wish to be listed, your name will be removed for identification purposes.
However, your COI will still be available for review with the comments you have made.
Are you reviewing this guideline as a representative of a professional society?
If yes, may we list your society as a reviewer of this guideline?
Society Name: _
(Listing the specialty society as a reviewing society does not imply or otherwise indicate endorsement of this guideline.)
Conflicts of Interest (COI): All Reviewers must declare their conflicts of interest.
If the boxes below are not checked and/or the reviewer does not attach his/her conflicts of interest, the reviewer's comments will not be
addressed by the AAOS nor will the reviewer's name or society be listed as a reviewer of this GL. If a committee reviews the guideline,
only the chairperson/or lead of the review must declare their relevant COI.
I have declared my conflicts of interest on page 2 of this form.
I have declared my conflicts of interest in the AAOS database; my customer # is
I understand that the AAOS will post my declared conflicts of interest with my comments concerning review of
this guideline or technology overview on the AAOS website.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
REVIEWER CONFLICT OF INTEREST - The Orthopaedic Disclosure Program
Each item below requires an answer. Please report information for the last 12-months as required by the Accreditation
Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) guidelines.
Do you or a member of your immediate family receive royalties for any pharmaceutical, biomaterial or
orthopaedic product or device?
If YES, please identify product or device:
Within the past twelve months, have you or a member of your immediate family served on the speakers
bureau or have you been paid an honorarium to present by any pharmaceutical, biomaterial or
orthopaedic product or device company?
If YES, please identify company:
Are you or a member of your immediate family a PAID EMPLOYEE for any pharmaceutical, biomaterial or
orthopaedic device or equipment company, or supplier?
If YES, please identify company or supplier:
Are you or a member of your immediate family a PAID CONSULTANT for any pharmaceutical, biomaterial
or orthopaedic device or equipment company, or supplier?
If YES, please identify company or supplier:
Are you or a member of your immediate family an UNPAID CONSULTANT for any pharmaceutical,
biomaterial or orthopaedic device or equipment company, or supplier?
If YES, please identify company or supplier:
Do you or a member of your immediate family own stock or stock options in any pharmaceutical,
biomaterial or orthopaedic device or equipment company, or supplier (excluding mutual funds)
If YES, please identify company or supplier:
Do you or a member of your immediate family receive research or institutional support as a principal
investigator from any pharmaceutical, biomaterial or orthopaedic device or equipment company, or
supplier?
If YES, please identify company or supplier:
Do you or a member of your immediate family receive any other financial or material support from any
pharmaceutical, biomaterial or orthopaedic device and equipment company or supplier?
If YES, please identify company or supplier:
Do you or a member of your immediate family receive any royalties, financial or material support from any
medical and/or orthopaedic publishers?
If YES, please identify publisher:
Do you or a member of your immediate family serve on the editorial or governing board of any medical
and/or orthopaedic publication?
If YES, please identify:
Do you or a member of your immediate family serve on the Board of Directors or a committee of any
medical and/or orthopaedic professional society?
If YES, please identify:
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Reviewer Instructions
Please read and review this Draft Clinical Practice Guideline and its associated Technical Report with particular focus on your area of
expertise. Your responses are confidential and will be used only to assess the validity, clarity and accuracy of the interpretation of the
evidence. If applicable, please specify the draft page and line numbers in your comments. Please feel free to also comment on the
overall structure and content of the guideline and Technical Report. If you need more space than is provided, please attach additional
pages.
Please complete and return this form electronically to [email protected] or fax the form back to Jan Wies at (847) 823-9769. Thank you
in advance for your time in completing this form and giving us your feedback. We value your input and greatly appreciate your efforts.
Please send the completed form and comments by end of day DATE.
Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements by placing an "X" in the appropriate box.
Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
1. The recommendations are clearly stated
2. There is an explicit link between the recommendations and the
supporting evidence
3. Given the nature of the topic and the data, all clinically important
outcomes are considered
4. The guideline's target audience is clearly described
5. The patients to whom this guideline is meant to apply are specifically
6. The criteria used to select articles for inclusion are appropriate
7. The reasons why some studies were excluded are clearly described
8. All important studies that met the article inclusion criteria are
9. The validity of the studies is appropriately appraised
10. The methods are described in such a way as to be reproducible.
11. The statistical methods are appropriate to the material and the
objectives of this guideline
12. Important parameters (e.g., setting, study population, study design)
that could affect study results are systematically addressed
13. Health benefits, side effects, and risks are adequately addressed
14. The writing style is appropriate for health care professionals.
15. The grades assigned to each recommendation are appropriate
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
COMMENTS
Please provide a brief explanation of both your positive and negative answers in the preceding section. If applicable, please specify the draft page and line numbers in your comments. Please feel free to also comment on the overall structure and content of the guideline and Technical Report
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Would you recommend these guidelines for use in practice? (check one)
Strongly recommend
Recommend (with provisions or alterations)
Would not recommend
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX X
PEER REVIEW PANEL
Participation in the AAOS peer review process does not constitute an endorsement
of this guideline by the participating organization.
Peer review of the draft guideline is completed by an outside Peer Review Panel. Outside peer reviewers are solicited for each AAOS guideline and consist of experts in the guideline's topic area. These experts represent professional societies other than AAOS and are nominated by the guideline work group prior to beginning work on the guideline. For this guideline, 23 outside peer review organizations were invited to review the draft guideline and all supporting documentation. Eight societies participated in the peer review of the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoporotic Spinal Compression Fractures guideline draft and seven explicitly consented to be listed as a peer review organization in this appendix.
The organizations that reviewed the document and consented to be listed as a peer review organization are listed below:
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR)
American College of Radiology (ACR)
AO Spine International
International Spine Intervention Society (ISIS)
National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF)
North American Spine Association (NASS)
Neurosurgery Washington Committee, American Association of Neurological
Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AANS/CNS)
Individuals who participated in the peer review of this document and gave their consent to be listed as reviewers of this document are:
Professor Nikolai Bogduk MD ISIS
Christopher M. Bono MD NASS
Gary Ghiselli MD NASS
Bradford J Richmond MD ACR
Charles A. Reitman, MD AAOS GTOC
Paul Heini MD AO Spine
John Kirkpatrick MD AAOS EBPC
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Michael R. McClung, MD NOF
Ariz R. Mehta MD AAPMR
Mark E. Linskey, M.D. (as Chairman of the AANS/CNS Joint Guidelines
Committee)
Participation in the AAOS guideline peer review process does not constitute an
endorsement of the guideline by the participating organizations or the individuals
listed above nor does it is any way imply the reviewer supports this document.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
PUBLIC COMMENTARY
A period of public commentary follows the peer review of the draft guideline. If
significant non-editorial changes are made to the document as a result of public
commentary, these changes are also documented and forwarded to the AAOS bodies that
approve the final guideline.
Public commentators who gave explicit consent to be listed in this document include the
following:
None
Participation in the AAOS guideline public commentary review process does not
constitute an endorsement of the guideline by the participating organizations or the
individual listed nor does it in any way imply the reviewer supports this document.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX XI
INTERPRETING THE GRAPHS
LINE GRAPHS
Throughout the guideline we use line graphs to illustrate the differences in efficacy between the experimental and control groups of a study. Each point represents the difference between the two study groups for the designated outcome at that particular time point. A positive value indicates a better outcome (e.g., less pain) in the experimental group. The error bars represent the 95% Confidence Interval. The dotted line represents the Minimally Clinically Important Improvement (MCII) for the outcome.
In the example below, the difference in pain between the calcitonin and placebo groups is compared at 4 time points in two separate studies (Lyritis 1997 and Lyritis 1999). For instance, at 4 weeks the pain on VAS in the calcitonin group is about 7 units less than the pain in the placebo group. The difference is statistically significant because the confidence intervals do not cross 0, and the difference is clinically important because the lower confidence interval is greater than the MCII value.
Calcitonin vs. Placebo – Difference in Pain
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
FOREST PLOTS
In Recommendation 2 we use descriptive diagrams known as forest plots to present data from studies comparing the differences in outcomes between two treatment groups. In cases where a meta-analysis has been performed (combining combining results of multiple studies into a single estimate of overall effect), the estimate of overall effect is presented at the bottom of the graph using a diamond to illustrate the confidence intervals of the estimated overall effect. In cases where a meta-analysis has not been performed, each point and corresponding horizontal line on a sample plot should be viewed independently. In the example below, the odds ratio is the effect measure used to depict differences in outcomes between the two treatment groups of a study. In other forest plots, the point can refer to other summary measures (such as the mean difference or relative risk). The horizontal line running through each point represents the 95% confidence interval for that point. In this graph, the solid vertical line represents "no effect" where the Odds Ratio, OR, is equal to one. When mean differences are portrayed, the vertical line of no effect is at zero.
For example, in the figure below the odds of a patient experiencing Outcome 1 are 5.9 times greater for patients who received Treatment B than for patients who received Treatment A. This result is statistically significant because the 95% Confidence Interval does not cross the "no effect" line. In general, the plots are arranged such that results to the left of the "no effect" line favor Treatment A while results to the right favor Treatment B. In the example below, the odds ratio for Outcome 1 favors Treatment B,
the odds ratio for Outcome 3 favors Treatment A, and the odds ratio for Outcome 2 does not favor either treatment because the 95% CI crosses the "no effect" line (i.e. the difference is not statistically significant).
Odds Ratio (95% CI)
5.90 (3.38, 10.29)
0.72 (0.43, 1.19)
0.11 (0.06, 0.20)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT
95% confidence interval
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
activities of daily living
Assessment of Quality of Life
AAOS Board of Councilors
AAOS Board of Directors
AAOS Board of Specialty Societies
capacatively coupled electric field
confidence interval
Continuing Medical Education
AAOS Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and Technology
Dallas Pain Questionnaire
evidence based medicine
AAOS Evidence Based Practice Committee
European Quality of Life – Five Dimensions
European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study
Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and
uidelines and Te
chnology Oversight Committee
International Unit
limitations of daily living
minimal clinically important difference
minimal clinically important improvement
magnetic resonance imaging
Nominal Group Technique
numerical rating scale
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Oswestry Disability Index
Osteoporosis Quality of Life Questionnaire
Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation
Orthopaedic Research Society
Quality of Life of the European Foundation for Osteporosis
Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire
standard deviation
36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument
36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument Mental Component Score
36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument Physical Component Score
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
sickness impact profile
Study of Osteoporotic Fractures-Activities of Daily Living
visual analog scale
weighted mean difference
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX XII
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
All members of the AAOS work group disclosed any conflicts of interest prior to the development of the recommendations for this guideline. Conflicts of interest are disclosed in writing with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons via a private on-line reporting database and also verbally at the recommendation approval meeting.
Stephen I Esses, MD (Houston, TX): 2 (Orthopedics; Spine; THE SPINE JOURNAL).
Submitted on: 10/23/2009 and last confirmed as accurate on 01/22/2010.
Joel A Finkelstein, MD (Toronto, ON Canada): 7 (Stryker; Synthes). Submitted on:
02/03/2009.
John Jenkins (Jackson, TN): 4 (Norvartis; Procter & Gamble; Roche). Submitted on:
03/11/2009.
Robert A McGuire, Jr MD (Jackson, MS): 1 (AOSpine North America chairman); 2
(Journal of Spinal Disorders); 3 (DePuy, A Johnson & Johnson Company); 5A (Synthes);
7 (AO; Stryker). Submitted on: 02/16/2009.
Eric John Woodard, MD (Boston, MA): 1 (AOSpine); 4 (DePuy, A Johnson & Johnson
Company; Stryker; Synthes); 5A (invivo therapeutics); 7 (Synthes; AOSpine); 8
(Medtronic); 10 (Nanoventures). Submitted on: 03/24/2009.
William Charles Watters III, MD (Houston, TX): 1 (North American Spine Society;
American Board of Spine Surgery; Board of Advisoer Official Disability Guidelines;
Associate Member of The Editorial Board, The Spine Journal; Med Center Ambulatory
Surgery Center); 2 (The Spine Journal); 4 (Stryker; Synthes); 5A (Orthofix, Inc.;
Stryker); 8 (Intrisic Therapeutics). Submitted on: 08/14/2009.
Disclosure Items: (n) = Respondent answered 'No' to all items indicating no conflicts.
1=Board member/owner/officer/committee appointments; 2= Medical/Orthopaedic
Publications; 3= Royalties; 4= Speakers bureau/paid presentations;5A= Paid consultant;
5B= Unpaid consultant; 6= Research or institutional support from a publisher; 7=
Research or institutional support from a company or supplier; 8= Stock or Stock Options;
9= Other financial/material support from a publisher; 10= Other financial/material
support from a company or supplier.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
APPENDIX XIII
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AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
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AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
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fluoride (60 mg) (plus or minus) estrogen in postmenopausal osteoporotic vertebral fractures: Increased vertebral fractures and peripheral bone loss with sodium fluoride; concurrent estrogen prevents peripheral loss, but not vertebral fractures. Osteoporosis International 2002;13(2):158-170.
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osteoporosis with transdermal estrogen. Ann Intern Med 1992;117(1):1-9.
(38) Wimalawansa SJ. A four-year randomized controlled trial of hormone
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of postmenopausal osteoporosis. N Engl J Med 1990;323(2):73-79.
(40) Pak CY, Sakhaee K, Piziak V et al. Slow-release sodium fluoride in the
management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. A randomized controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1994;120(8):625-632.
(41) Meunier PJ, Sebert JL, Reginster JY et al. Fluoride salts are no better at
preventing new vertebral fractures than calcium-vitamin D in postmenopausal osteoporosis: the FAVOStudy. Osteoporos Int 1998;8(1):4-12.
(42) Ringe JD, Kipshoven C, Coster A, Umbach R. Therapy of established
postmenopausal osteoporosis with monofluorophosphate plus calcium: dose-related effects on bone density and fracture rate. Osteoporos Int 1999;9(2):171-178.
(43) Rubin CD, Pak CY, Adams-Huet B, Genant HK, Li J, Rao DS. Sustained-release
sodium fluoride in the treatment of the elderly with established osteoporosis. Arch Intern Med 2001;161(19):2325-2333.
(44) Maugeri D, Panebianco P, Russo MS et al. Ipriflavone-treatment of senile
osteoporosis: results of a multicenter, double-blind clinical trial of 2 years. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 1994;19(3):253-263.
(45) Inoue T, Fujita T, Kishimoto H et al. Randomized controlled study on the
prevention of osteoporotic fractures (OF study): a phase IV clinical study of 15-mg menatetrenone capsules. J Bone Miner Metab 2009;27(1):66-75.
(46) Matsumoto T, Hagino H, Shiraki M et al. Effect of daily oral minodronate on
vertebral fractures in Japanese postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study. Osteoporos Int 2008.
(47) Lufkin EG, Whitaker MD, Nickelsen T et al. Treatment of established
postmenopausal osteoporosis with raloxifene: a randomized trial. J Bone Miner Res 1998;13(11):1747-1754.
(48) Ettinger B, Black DM, Mitlak BH et al. Reduction of vertebral fracture risk in
postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with raloxifene: results from a 3-year randomized clinical trial. Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE) Investigators. JAMA 1999;282(7):637-645.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
(49) Clemmesen B, Ravn P, Zegels B, Taquet AN, Christiansen C, Reginster JY. A 2-
year phase II study with 1-year of follow-up of risedronate (NE-58095) in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int 1997;7(5):488-495.
(50) Harris ST, Watts NB, Genant HK et al. Effects of risedronate treatment on
vertebral and nonvertebral fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial. Vertebral Efficacy With Risedronate Therapy (VERT) Study Group. JAMA 1999;282(14):1344-1352.
(51) Reginster J, Minne HW, Sorensen OH et al. Randomized trial of the effects of
risedronate on vertebral fractures in women with established postmenopausal osteoporosis. Vertebral Efficacy with Risedronate Therapy (VERT) Study Group. Osteoporos Int 2000;11(1):83-91.
(52) Meunier PJ, Slosman DO, Delmas PD et al. Strontium ranelate: dose-dependent
effects in established postmenopausal vertebral osteoporosis--a 2-year randomized placebo controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002;87(5):2060-2066.
(53) Neer RM, Arnaud CD, Zanchetta JR et al. Effect of parathyroid hormone (1-34)
on fractures and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. N Engl J Med 2001;344(19):1434-1441.
(54) Wardlaw D, Cummings SR, Van MJ et al. Efficacy and safety of balloon
kyphoplasty compared with non-surgical care for vertebral compression fracture (FREE): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2009;373(9668):1016-1024.
(55) Rousing R, Andersen MO, Jespersen SM, Thomsen K, Lauritsen J. Percutaneous
vertebroplasty compared to conservative treatment in patients with painful acute or subacute osteoporotic vertebral fractures: three-months follow-up in a clinical randomized study. Spine 2009;34(13):1349-1354.
(56) Kushida K, Shiraki M, Nakamura T et al. The efficacy of alendronate in reducing
the risk for vertebral fracture in Japanese patients with osteoporosis: A randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, double-dummy trial. Current Therapeutic Research - Clinical and Experimental 2002;63(9):606-620.
(57) Gutteridge DH, Holzherr ML, Retallack RW et al. A randomized trial comparing
hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and HRT plus calcitriol in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with vertebral fractures: benefit of the combination on total body and hip density. Calcif Tissue Int 2003;73(1):33-43.
(58) Guanabens N, Farrerons J, Perez-Edo L et al. Cyclical etidronate versus sodium
fluoride in established postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized 3 year trial. Bone 2000;27(1):123-128.
(59) Kushida K, Fukunaga M, Kishimoto H et al. A comparison of incidences of
vertebral fracture in Japanese patients with involutional osteoporosis treated with
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
risedronate and etidronate: a randomized, double-masked trial. J Bone Miner Metab 2004;22(5):469-478.
(60) Grohs JG, Matzner M, Trieb K, Krepler P. Minimal invasive stabilization of
osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a prospective nonrandomized comparison of vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty. J Spinal Disord Tech 2005;18(3):238-242.
(61) Liu JT, Liao WJ, Tan WC et al. Balloon kyphoplasty versus vertebroplasty for
treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture: a prospective, comparative, and randomized clinical study. Osteoporos Int 2009.
(62) Iwamoto J, Takeda T, Ichimura S, Uzawa M. Comparative effects of treatment
with etidronate and alendronate on bone resorption, back pain, and activities of daily living in elderly women with vertebral fractures. Keio J Med 2003;52(4):230-235.
(63) Gallagher JC, Goldgar D. Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with high
doses of synthetic calcitriol. A randomized controlled study. Ann Intern Med 1990;113(9):649-655.
(64) Geusens P, Dequeker J. Long-term effect of nandrolone decanoate, 1 alpha-
hydroxyvitamin D3 or intermittent calcium infusion therapy on bone mineral content, bone remodeling and fracture rate in symptomatic osteoporosis: a double-blind controlled study. Bone Miner 1986;1(4):347-357.
(65) Hodsman AB, Fraher LJ, Watson PH et al. A randomized controlled trial to
compare the efficacy of cyclical parathyroid hormone versus cyclical parathyroid hormone and sequential calcitonin to improve bone mass in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997;82(2):620-628.
(66) Ohtori S, Yamashita M, Inoue G et al. L2 Spinal Nerve-Block Effects on Acute
Low Back Pain From Osteoporotic Vertebral Fracture. J Pain 2009;10(8):870-875.
(67) Pfeifer M, Begerow B, Minne HW. Effects of a New Spinal Orthosis on Posture,
Trunk Strength, and Quality of Life in Women with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Randomized Trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2004;83(3):177-186.
(68) Papaioannou A, Adachi JD, Winegard K et al. Efficacy of home-based exercise
for improving quality of life among elderly women with symptomatic osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures. Osteoporos Int 2003;14(8):677-682.
(69) Rossini M, Viapiana O, Gatti D, De TF, Adami S. Capacitively Coupled Electric
Field for Pain Relief in Patients with Vertebral Fractures and Chronic Pain. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2009.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
(70) Kallmes DF, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ et al. A randomized trial of
vertebroplasty for osteoporotic spinal fractures. N Engl J Med 2009;361(6):569-579.
(71) Voormolen MH, Mali WP, Lohle PN et al. Percutaneous vertebroplasty compared
with optimal pain medication treatment: short-term clinical outcome of patients with subacute or chronic painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. The VERTOS study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2007;28(3):555-560.
(72) Diamond TH, Bryant C, Browne L, Clark WA. Clinical outcomes after acute
osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a 2-year non-randomised trial comparing percutaneous vertebroplasty with conservative therapy. Med J Aust 2006;184(3):113-117.
(73) Grafe IA, Da FK, Hillmeier J et al. Reduction of pain and fracture incidence after
kyphoplasty: 1-year outcomes of a prospective controlled trial of patients with primary osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int 2005;16(12):2005-2012.
(74) De Negri P, Tirri T, Paternoster G, Modano P. Treatment of painful osteoporotic
or traumatic vertebral compression fractures by percutaneous vertebral augmentation procedures: a nonrandomized comparison between vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Clin J Pain 2007;23(5):425-430.
(75) Kasperk C, Hillmeier J, Noldge G et al. Treatment of painful vertebral fractures
by kyphoplasty in patients with primary osteoporosis: a prospective nonrandomized controlled study. J Bone Miner Res 2005;20(4):604-612.
(76) Petitti DB, Teutsch SM, Barton MB, Sawaya GF, Ockene JK, DeWitt T. Update
on the methods of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: insufficient evidence. Ann Intern Med 2009;150(3):199-205.
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
EXCLUDED ARTICLES AND REASON FOR EXCLUSION
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Treating osteoporosis in Canada: What clinical efficacy data should be considered by policy decision
Systematic review, bibliography
Assessing compliance, acceptance, and tolerability of teriparatide in patients with osteoporosis who
Does not investigate efficacy of
fractured while on antiresorptive treatment or were intolerant to previous antiresorptive treatment: an
18-month, multicenter, open-label, prospective stu
Vertebral fracture risk reduction with risedronate in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis: a
Systematic review, bibliography
meta-analysis of individual patient data
Effect of raloxifene after recombinant teriparatide [hPTH(1-34)] treatment in postmenopausal women
Incorrect patient population
with osteoporosis
Protelos: nonvertebral and hip antifracture efficacy in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
Alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in men
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fracture (Brief record)
Systematic review, bibliography
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic fractures
Not best available evidence
Efficacy of ipriflavone in established osteoporosis and long-term safety
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Effects of ipriflavone on bone mass and calcium metabolism in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
Short-segment pedicle instrumentation of thoracolumbar burst fractures: does transpedicular
Incorrect patient population
intracorporeal grafting prevent early failure?
Alexandersen 2001
Ipriflavone in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial
Incorrect patient population
Early parathyroidectomy increases bone mineral density in patients with mild primary
Incorrect patient population
hyperparathyroidism: a prospective and randomized study
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: functional improvement in patients with osteoporotic compression
Not best available evidence
Predictors of outcomes of percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Retrospective case series
Use of a screw-syringe injector for cement delivery during kyphoplasty: technical report
Surgical Technique
Percutaneous transpedicular polymethylmethacrylate vertebroplasty for the treatment of spinal
Retrospective case series
compression fractures
Vertebroplasty in the treatment of spine disease
Not best available evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Effect of intermittent cyclical disodium etidronate therapy on bone mineral density in men with
Does not report patient oriented
vertebral fractures
Zoledronic acid improves bone density and reduces fractures
Strontium: new drug. Postmenopausal osteoporosis: too many unknowns
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Teriparatide: new preparation. Osteoporosis: less well evaluated than alendronic acid
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Fluoride and bone: a second look. No use in osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Measuring quality of life in women with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis Quality of Life Study Group
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Percutaneous vertebroplasty and bone cement leakage: clinical experience with a new high-viscosity
Does not compare two treatments;
bone cement and delivery system for vertebral augmentation in benign and malignant compression
compares techniques of a treatment
Pain relief following percutaneous vertebroplasty: results of a series of 283 consecutive patients
Not best available evidence
treated in a single institution
Treatment of painful compression vertebral fractures with vertebroplasty: results and complications
Not best available evidence
Postmenopausal bilateral oophorectomy is not associated with increased fracture risk in older women
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Vertebral fracture diagnosis in the multinational BONE study of oral ibandronate: quality
Does not investigate efficacy of
management in radiology
Intravenous pamidronate for pain relief in recent osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture: a
Treatment comparison not relevant
randomized double-blind controlled study
Percutaneous vertebroplasty in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: our initial experience
Not best available evidence
A Bayesian analysis of bisphosphonate effects and cost-effectiveness in post-menopausal osteoporosis
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Vitamin D and vitamin D analogues for preventing fractures associated with involutional and post-
Systematic review, bibliography
menopausal osteoporosis
Z-plate instrumentation in thoracolumbar spinal fractures
Incorrect patient population
The pedicle screw fixation with vertebroplasty augmentation in the surgical treatment of the severe
Not best available evidence
osteoporotic spines
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Comparison of thoracolumbosacral orthosis and no orthosis for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst
Incorrect patient population, non-
fractures: interim analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical equivalence trial
osteoporotic patients
Back stab: percutaneous vertebroplasty for severe back pain
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Quality of life in osteoporotic women with inadequate clinical response to antiresorptive drugs: results
Insufficient data
from the ICARO study
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: the follow-up
Not best available evidence
Biomechanical impact of vertebroplasty. Postoperative biomechanics of vertebroplasty
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebral augmentation in osteoporotic fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Short-term changes in bone turnover markers and bone mineral density response to parathyroid
Not specific to fracture patients
hormone in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Is there an indication for prophylactic balloon kyphoplasty? A pilot study
Does not compare two treatments; compares techniques of a treatment
Kyphoplasty for treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a prospective non-randomized study
Not best available evidence
Cement leakage in percutaneous vertebroplasty: effect of preinjection gelfoam embolization
Not best available evidence
Bierschneider 2005
Minimally invasive vertebral augmentation techniques in osteoporotic fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Six and twelve month changes in bone turnover are related to reduction in vertebral fracture risk
Not specific to fracture patients
during 3 years of raloxifene treatment in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Once-yearly zoledronic acid for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
Fracture risk reduction with alendronate in women with osteoporosis: the Fracture Intervention Trial.
Subgroup analysis of included RCT
FIT Research Group
The effect of alendronate therapy on osteoporotic fracture in the vertebral fracture arm of the Fracture
Intervention Trial
Design of the Fracture Intervention Trial
Description of study design
A review of strontium ranelate and its effect on DXA scans
Narrative review, bibliography screened
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Strontium ranelate: a novel treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis: a review of safety and efficacy
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Suitability of a calcium phosphate cement in osteoporotic vertebral body fracture augmentation: a
Does not compare two treatments;
controlled, randomized, clinical trial of balloon kyphoplasty comparing calcium phosphate versus
compares techniques of a treatment
polymethylmethacrylate
Analgesic efficacy of calcitonin for vertebral fracture pain
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Comparison of direct health care costs related to the pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis and to
Cost-effectiveness study
the management of osteoporotic fractures among compliant and noncompliant users of alendronate and risedronate: A population-based study
Calcitonin for the long-term prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
A randomized double-blind trial to compare the efficacy of teriparatide [recombinant human
Not specific to fracture patients
parathyroid hormone (1-34)] with alendronate in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Patient satisfaction in postmenopausal women treated with a weekly bisphosphonate transitioned to
Not specific to fracture patients
once-monthly ibandronate
Treatment with alendronate plus calcium, alendronate alone, or calcium alone for postmenopausal low
Not specific to fracture patients
bone mineral density
Once-weekly risedronate in men with osteoporosis: Results of a 2-Year, placebo-controlled, double-
Not specific to fracture patients
blind, multicenter study
Safety and efficacy of risedronate in reducing fracture risk in osteoporotic women aged 80 and older:
Systematic review, bibliography
implications for the use of antiresorptive agents in the old and oldest old
Cost effectiveness of raloxifene in the treatment of osteoporosis in Sweden: an economic evaluation
Cost-effectiveness study
based on the MORE study
Microsurgical interlaminary vertebro- and kyphoplasty for severe osteoporotic fractures
Retrospective case series
Teriparatide and raloxifene reduce the risk of new adjacent vertebral fractures in postmenopausal
Narrative review, bibliography
women with osteoporosis: Results from two randomized controlled trials
Efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures: a
Systematic review, bibliography
systematic review
Treatment of osteoporosis with parathyroid peptide (hPTH 1-34) and oestrogen: increase in
Does not report patient oriented
volumetric density of iliac cancellous bone may depend on reduced trabecular spacing as well as
increased thickness of packets of newly formed bone
Outcome of CT-guided vertebroplasty in outpatients with severe vertebral compression fractures
Retrospective case series
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Bone histomorphometric evaluation of pamidronate treatment in clinically manifest osteoporosis
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Health-economic comparison of three recommended drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis
Cost-effectiveness study
How long should patients take medications for postmenopausal osteoporosis?
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebral augmentation with a flexible curved needle: preliminary results in 17 consecutive patients
Not best available evidence
Gaps in Treatment Among Users of Osteoporosis Medications: The Dynamics of Noncompliance
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Correlation between preprocedural MRI findings and clinical outcomes in the treatment of chronic
Retrospective case series
symptomatic vertebral compression fractures with percutaneous vertebroplasty
Treatment of chronic symptomatic vertebral compression fractures with percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
The efficacy and tolerability of risedronate once a week for the treatment of postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
Effects of strontium ranelate on spinal osteoarthritis progression
Incorrect patient population
Effective inhibition of aromatase inhibitor-associated bone loss by zoledronic acid in postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
women with early breast cancer receiving adjuvant letrozole: ZO-FAST study results
The effect of treatment with calcitonin on vertebral fracture rate in osteoporosis
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Percutaneous sacroplasty for the treatment of sacral insufficiency fractures
Less than 10 patients per group
Five year study of etidronate and/or calcium as prevention and treatment for osteoporosis and
Not specific to fracture patients
fractures in patients with asthma receiving long term oral and/or inhaled glucocorticoids
Pathogenesis of vertebral crush fractures in women
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Osteoporotic vertebral collapse: percutaneous vertebroplasty and local kyphosis correction
Not best available evidence
CT-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty: personal experience in the treatment of osteoporotic fractures
Not best available evidence
and dorsolumbar metastases
Timing of thoracolomber spine stabilization in trauma patients; impact on neurological outcome and
Incorrect patient population
clinical course. A real prospective (rct) randomized controlled study
Evidence based medicine and effective interventions of pharmacological therapy for the prevention of
Systematic review, bibliography
osteoporotic fractures
Unipedicular vertebroplasty for osteoporotic compression fracture using an individualized needle
Not best available evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Single annual injectable treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Outcomes of a disease-management program for patients with recent osteoporotic fracture
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Kyphoplasty for chronic painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures via unipedicular versus
Not relevant, comparison not
bipedicular approachment: A comparative study in early stage
considered for this guideline
Intracorporal bone grafting for vertebral compression fractures with intraosseous vacuum
Not best available evidence
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Not best available evidence
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a
Not best available evidence
preliminary report
Ibandronate produces significant, similar antifracture efficacy in North American and European
Duplicate study data, subgroup analysis
women: new clinical findings from BONE
Stanozolol in postmenopausal osteoporosis: therapeutic efficacy and possible mechanisms of action
Insufficient data
Vertebroplasty by use of a strontium-containing bioactive bone cement
Narrative review, bibliography screened
An osteoporosis clinical pathway for the medical management of patients with low-trauma fracture
Incorrect patient population
Vertebroplasty utilizing percutaneous vertebral body access (PVBA) technique for osteoporotic
Retrospective case series
vertebral compression fractures in the middle thoracic vertebrae
Successful salvage using percutaneous vertebroplasty in cancer patients with painful spinal metastases
Incorrect patient population
or osteoporotic compression fractures
Chrischilles 2001
The effect of alendronate on fracture-related healthcare utilization and costs: The fracture intervention
Cost-effectiveness study
Christodoulou 2005
Vertebral body reconstruction with injectable hydroxyapatite cement for the management of unstable
Incorrect patient population
thoracolumbar burst fractures: a preliminary report
Comparative study of balloon kyphoplasty with unilateral versus bilateral approach in osteoporotic
Does not compare two treatments;
vertebral compression fractures
compares techniques of a treatment
Colon Emeric 2006
Osteoporotic fractures in older adults
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Equivalence of nasal spray and subcutaneous formulations of salmon calcitonin
Does not compare two treatments; compares techniques of a treatment
Comite d'Evaluation 2006
Kyphoplasty - systematic review, expert panel (Brief record)
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men
Guideline summary
from the age of 50 years in the UK
Prevention of vertebral fractures by strontium ranelate in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Evaluation of spinal curvatures after a recent osteoporotic vertebral fracture
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: an open
Not best available evidence
prospective study
Kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures: 1-year clinical outcomes from a prospective study
Not best available evidence
Cost effectiveness of nasal calcitonin in postmenopausal women: use of Cochrane Collaboration
Systematic review, bibliography
methods for meta-analysis within economic evaluation
Association of severe vertebral fractures with reduced quality of life: reduction in the incidence of
Post hoc subgroup analysis of included
severe vertebral fractures by teriparatide
Combined treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis: effect on muscle function and a new
Not best available evidence
radiological method for assessing trabecular bone
Denosumab for prevention of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
The effects of tibolone in older postmenopausal women
Incorrect patient population
Benefit of adherence with bisphosphonates depends on age and fracture type: Results from an analysis
Not specific to fracture patients
of 101,038 new bisphosphonate users
Prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Acute osteoporotic vertebral collapse: open study on percutaneous injection of acrylic surgical cement
Not best available evidence
Double cement-application cavity containment kyphoplasty: technique description and efficacy
Retrospective case series
MRI findings after successful vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Dawson Hughes 2007
Response to teriparatide in patients with baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency or sufficiency
Post hoc subgroup analysis
Incremental cost of medical care after hip fracture and first vertebral fracture: The Rotterdam Study
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Combination teriparatide and raloxifene therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis: results from a 6-
Not specific to fracture patients
month double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Balloon kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures in solid organ transplant recipients: results of
Not best available evidence
treatment and comparison with primary osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Monthly dosing of 75 mg risedronate on 2 consecutive days a month: efficacy and safety results
Not specific to fracture patients
Efficacy and safety of risedronate 150 mg once a month in the treatment of postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
Clinical effects of strontium ranelate in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Severity of prevalent vertebral fractures and the risk of subsequent vertebral and nonvertebral
Post hoc subgroup analysis
fractures: results from the MORE trial
Efficacy of raloxifene on vertebral fracture risk reduction in postmenopausal women with
Subgroup analysis of included RCT
osteoporosis: four-year results from a randomized clinical trial
Treatment of vertebral osteoporosis with disodium monofluorophosphate: comparison with sodium
Not best available evidence
Nonpharmacological prevention of osteoporotic fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Clinical outcomes after acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a 2-year non-randomised trial
Not best available evidence
comparing percutaneous vertebroplasty with conservative therapy
Management of acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a nonrandomized trial comparing percutaneous
Interim Analysis
vertebroplasty with conservative therapy
Guidelines for treatment of osteoporosis in men
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: rapid pain relief for vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Prospective analysis of clinical outcomes after percutaneous vertebroplasty for painful osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
vertebral body fractures
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: rationale, clinical outcomes, and future directions
Narrative review, bibliography screened
New horizons for zoledronic acid: Results of the HORIZON trials in postmenopausal women with
osteoporosis and after hip fracture
Multiple adjacent vertebral fractures after kyphoplasty in a patient with steroid-induced osteoporosis
Clinical relevance of pain patterns in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Not best available evidence
Prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis with oestrogen replacement therapy and associated
Systematic review, bibliography
compounds: update on clinical trials since 1995
An open-label extension study of alendronate treatment in elderly women with osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Anabolic agents to treat osteoporosis in older people: is there still place for fluoride? Fluoride for
Systematic review, bibliography
treating postmenopausal osteoporosis
Pulmonary cement embolism: a complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Fluoride therapy for osteoporosis: a review of dose response, duration of treatment, and skeletal sites
Narrative review, bibliography
Cost-effectiveness of bisphosphonate therapies for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis:
Cost-effectiveness study
implications of improved persistence with less frequently administered oral bisphosphonates
Effect of once-yearly zoledronic acid five milligrams on fracture risk and change in femoral neck bone
Post hoc subgroup analysis
Sequential treatment of severe postmenopausal osteoporosis after teriparatide: final results of the
Not relevant, sequential treatment not
randomized, controlled european study of forsteo (EUROFORS)
considered for this guideline
Comparison of vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty for treatment of vertebral compression
Systematic review, bibliography
fractures: a meta-analysis of the literature
Vertebroplasty: a new treatment strategy for osteoporotic compression fractures
Surgical Technique
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: a review for the primary care physician
Effects of raloxifene on fracture risk in postmenopausal women: the Raloxifene Use for the Heart
Incorrect patient population
Prevalent vertebral deformities predict mortality and hospitalization in older women with low bone
Does not investigate efficacy of
Alendronate reduced new fractures in postmenopausal women who had low bone-mineral density and
existing vertebral fractures
Correlates of kyphosis in older women. The Fracture Intervention Trial Research Group
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Treatment with alendronate prevents fractures in women at highest risk: results from the Fracture
subgroup analysis of included RCT
Intervention Trial
Update on monthly oral bisphosphonate therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis: focus on
Systematic review, bibliography
ibandronate 150 mg and risedronate 150 mg
The problem of low levels of vitamin D and osteoporosis: use of combination therapy with alendronic
Narrative review, bibliography
acid and colecalciferol (vitamin D3)
Postmenopausal osteoporosis: fracture consequences and treatment efficacy vary by skeletal site
Narrative review, bibliography screened
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Teriparatide: A bone formation treatment for osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Simple computer model for calculating and reporting 5-year osteoporotic fracture risk in
Does not investigate efficacy of
postmenopausal women
Vertebral compression fractures: pain reduction and improvement in functional mobility after
Retrospective case series
percutaneous polymethylmethacrylate vertebroplasty retrospective report of 245 cases
Eyheremendy 2004
Percutaneous pediculoplasty in osteoporotic compression fractures
Less than 10 patients per group
Combining bisphosphonates with hormone therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
The use of cyclical etidronate in osteoporosis: changes after completion of 3 years treatment
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Postmenopausal osteoporosis: no effect of three years treatment with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol
Incorrect patient population
Spinal fractures during fluoride therapy for osteoporosis: relationship to spinal bone density
Retrospective case series
Efficacy of long-term fluoride and calcium therapy in correcting the deficit of spinal bone density in
Not best available evidence
Sodium fluoride treatment is a major protector against vertebral and nonvertebral fractures when
Not best available evidence
compared with other common treatments of osteoporosis: a longitudinal, observational study
Bone mineral density measurement and treatment for osteoporosis in older individuals with fractures:
Does not investigate efficacy of
A gap in evidence-based practice guideline implementation
Oral ibandronate significantly reduces the risk of vertebral fractures of greater severity after 1, 2, and
Post hoc subgroup analysis
3 years in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Effects of Short-Term Risedronate on Bone Resorption and Patient Satisfaction in Postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
Osteoporosis Patients
Validation of a minimum outcome core set in the evaluation of patients with back pain
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: a comparison between the procedure using the traditional and the new
Not relevant, comparison not
side-opening cannula for osteoporotic vertebral fracture
considered for this guideline
Osteoporosis risk factors in rural and urban women from the Lublin Region of Poland
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Cyclical intravenous clodronate in postmenopausal osteoporosis: results of a long-term clinical trial
Not specific to fracture patients
Finkelstein 2004
Diagnosis and management of pathological fractures of the spine
Narrative review, bibliography screened
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: a bone cement procedure for spinal pain relief
Narrative review, bibliography screened
The cost effectiveness of bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis: a
Cost-effectiveness study
structured review of the literature
Nandrolone decanoate and intranasal calcitonin as therapy in established osteoporosis
Does not report relevant outcome
Vesselplasty: a new technical approach to treat symptomatic vertebral compression fractures
Not best available evidence
Parathyroid hormone(1-84) treatment of postmenopausal women with low bone mass receiving
Not specific to fracture patients
hormone replacement therapy
Thoracic and lumbar spine fusion: postoperative radiologic evaluation
Retrospective case series
Risedronate on two consecutive days per month
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Back pain in osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Acute and long-term management of patients with vertebral fractures
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Androgen replacement in aging men
Incorrect patient population
A comparison of the effects of alfacalcidol treatment and vitamin D2 supplementation on calcium
Does not report patient oriented
absorption in elderly women with vertebral fractures
Interdisciplinary approach to balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral
Narrative review, bibliography
compression fractures
Percutaneous vertebral augmentation: an elevation in adjacent-level fracture risk in kyphoplasty as
Not best available evidence
compared with vertebroplasty
Percutaneous sacroplasty for osteoporotic sacral insufficiency fractures: a prospective, multicenter,
Incorrect patient population
observational pilot study
Efficacy and safety of percutaneous sacroplasty for painful osteoporotic sacral insufficiency fractures:
Incorrect patient population
a prospective, multicenter trial
Incidence of subsequent vertebral fracture after kyphoplasty
Retrospective case series
Clinical effect of bisphosphonate and vitamin D on osteoporosis: reappraisal of a multicenter double-
Post hoc subgroup analysis
blind clinical trial comparing etidronate and alfacalcidol
Reappraisal of Katsuragi calcium study, a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the
Not specific to fracture patients
effect of active absorbable algal calcium (AAACa) on vertebral deformity and fracture
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
A comparison of the effect of risedronate and etidronate on lumbar bone mineral density in Japanese
Not specific to fracture patients
patients with osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial
Percutaneous internal fixation of thoracolumbar spine fractures
Less than 50% follow-up
Teriparatide reduces the fracture risk associated with increasing number and severity of osteoporotic
Post hoc subgroup analysis of included
Analgesic effect of intravenous pamidronate on chronic back pain due to osteoporotic vertebral
Retrospective case series
Thoracic and lumbar spine fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Prevention and treatment of osteoporotic fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Balloon kyphoplasty for symptomatic vertebral body compression fractures results in rapid,
Not best available evidence
significant, and sustained improvements in back pain, function, and quality of life for elderly patients
New technologies in spine: kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty for the treatment of painful osteoporotic
Narrative review, bibliography
compression fractures
Lack of preoperative spinous process tenderness does not affect clinical success of percutaneous
Retrospective case series
Relevance of antecedent venography in percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic
Does not compare two treatments;
compression fractures
compares techniques of a treatment
Reduction in vertebral fracture risk in teriparatide-treated postmenopausal women as assessed by
Post hoc subgroup analysis of included
spinal deformity index
Analgesic effect of calcitonin in osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Combination kyphoplasty and spinal radiosurgery: a new treatment paradigm for pathological
Incorrect patient population
Scoliosis Research Society. Multicenter spine fracture study
Incorrect patient population
Review of risedronate in the treatment of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Cyclical etidronate increases bone density in the spine and hip of postmenopausal women receiving
Incorrect patient population
long term corticosteroid treatment. A double blind, randomised placebo controlled study
Bone mineral content, cortical thickness and fracture rate in osteoporotic women after withdrawal of
Less than 10 patients per group
treatment with nandrolone decanoate, 1-alpha hydroxyvitamin D3, or intermittent calcium infusions
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Comparing pain reduction following kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral
Systematic review, bibliography
compression fractures
Advances in surgical treatment of osteoporotic fractures of the spine
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Do estrogen or selective estrogen receptor modulators improve quality of life for women with
Narrative review, bibliography
postmenopausal osteoporosis?
Long-term observations of vertebral osteoporotic fractures treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Calcium-phosphate and polymethylmethacrylate cement in long-term outcome after kyphoplasty of
Does not compare two treatments;
painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures
compares techniques of a treatment
Reduction of pain and fracture incidence after kyphoplasty: 1-year outcomes of a prospective
Not best available evidence
controlled trial of patients with primary osteoporosis
INvestigational Vertebroplasty Efficacy and Safety Trial (INVEST): a randomized controlled trial of
Description of study design
percutaneous vertebroplasty
Alendronate improves bone mineral density in elderly women with osteoporosis residing in long-term
Not specific to fracture patients
care facilities: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Minimal invasive stabilization of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a prospective nonrandomized
Not best available evidence
comparison of vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty
Postural taping decreases thoracic kyphosis but does not influence trunk muscle electromyographic
Does not report patient oriented
activity or balance in women with osteoporosis
Relief of osteoporotic backache with fluoride, calcium, and calciferol
Does not report recurrent and/or adjacent fractures
Management of vertebral re-fractures after vertebroplasty in osteoporotic patients
Not best available evidence
Management of osteoporosis in women aged 50 and older with osteoporosis-related fractures in a
Does not investigate efficacy of
managed care population
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for vertebral compression fractures with and without intravertebral clefts
Not best available evidence
Vertebral fractures: a hidden problem of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Hadjipavlou 2005
Percutaneous vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral
Systematic review, bibliography
compression fractures and osteolytic tumours
A double-blinded head-to-head trial of minodronate and alendronate in women with postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Etridronate therapy in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Kyphoplasty. A treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Osteoporosis disease management for fragility fracture patients: New understandings based on three
Does not investigate efficacy of
years' experience with an osteoporosis care service
Bisphosphonates for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: clinical studies of etidronate and
Narrative review, bibliography
Four-year study of intermittent cyclic etidronate treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: three
Follow-up study to included RCT
years of blinded therapy followed by one year of open therapy
Primary and secondary osteoporosis' incidence of subsequent vertebral compression fractures after
Retrospective case series
Percutaneous treatment of osteoporotic spinal compression fractures
Safety of osteoporosis treatment with sodium fluoride, calcium phosphate and vitamin D
Not best available evidence
Changes in soft tissue body composition and plasma lipid metabolism during nandrolone decanoate
Does not report relevant outcome
therapy in postmenopausal osteoporotic women
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: new treatments for painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Risedronate reduces the risk of first vertebral fracture in osteoporotic women
Incorrect patient population
Intravenous pamidronate compared with oral alendronate for the treatment of postmenopausal
Insufficient data
Percutaneous transpedicular vertebroplasty with PMMA: operative technique and early results. A
Not best available evidence
prospective study for the treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures
Minimally invasive reduction and internal stabilization of osteoporotic vertebral body fractures
Not best available evidence
(Balloon Kyphoplasty)
Bone mineral density and bone markers in patients with a recent low-energy fracture: effect of 1 y of
Incorrect patient population
treatment with calcium and vitamin D
Vertebroplasty for osteoporotic fractures with spinal canal compromise
Retrospective case series
Patients with osteoporosis on steroid medication tend to sustain subsequent fractures
Retrospective case series
Increase in vertebral body height after vertebroplasty
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Effects of alendronate on bone density in men with primary and secondary osteoporosis
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Preventing fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. A review of recent controlled trials
Systematic review, bibliography
of antiresorptive agents
Percutaneous vertebroplasty in the therapy of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a critical
Narrative review, bibliography
Effects of cyclical therapy for osteoporosis using an oral regimen of inorganic phosphate and sodium
Not best available evidence
etidronate: a clinical and bone histomorphometric study
PTH (1-34): a novel anabolic drug for the treatment of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Hollingworth 2006
Evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vertebroplasty: A review of policy makers'
Narrative review, bibliography
Calcium absorption in postmenopausal osteoporosis: benefit of HRT plus calcitriol, but not HRT
Does not report patient oriented
alone, in both malabsorbers and normal absorbers
Effect of low-intensity back exercise on quality of life and back extensor strength in patients with
Not specific to fracture patients
osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial
Pain relief in patients treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty: An evaluation cement volume
Not best available evidence
Complications of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Burst-fractures and cementoplasty
Incorrect patient population
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: a systematic review of 69 clinical studies
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Complications related to vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Institute for Clinical
Vertebroplasty and balloon-assisted vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic compression
Systematic review, bibliography
Systems Improvement 2004
fractures (Structured abstract)
Comparative efficacy of hormone replacement therapy, etidronate, calcitonin, alfacalcidol, and
Not specific to fracture patients
vitamin K in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: The Yamaguchi Osteoporosis Prevention Study
Risk factors for vertebral deformities in men: relationship to number of vertebral deformities.
Does not investigate efficacy of
European Vertebral Osteoporosis Study Group
Effects of antifracture drugs in postmenopausal, male and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis--
Review of systematic reviews
usefulness of alendronate and risedronate
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Comparison of effect of treatment with etidronate and alendronate on lumbar bone mineral density in
Insufficient data
elderly women with osteoporosis
Effects of alendronate on metacarpal and lumbar bone mineral density, bone resorption, and chronic
Not best available evidence
back pain in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Determinants of one-year response of lumbar bone mineral density to alendronate treatment in elderly
Not specific to fracture patients
Japanese women with osteoporosis
Effects of 5-year treatment with elcatonin and alfacalcidol on lumbar bone mineral density and the
Not specific to fracture patients
incidence of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a retrospective study
Effect of menatetrenone on bone mineral density and incidence of vertebral fractures in
Not specific to fracture patients
postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a comparison with the effect of etidronate
Association Between Vertebral Fracture and Increased Mortality in Osteoporotic Patients
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Prevention of vertebral fractures in osteoporosis: mixed treatment comparison of bisphosphonate
Systematic review, bibliography
Treatment of osteoporosis in old age
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Position statement on percutaneous vertebral augmentation: a consensus statement developed by the
Consensus statement
American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology, Society of Interventional Radiology, American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congres
Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: is the anabolic steroid nandrolone decanoate a candidate?
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Community-based population study of vertebral fractures in 85-year-old men and women
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Cost effectiveness of alendronate (fosamax) for the treatment of osteoporosis and prevention of
Cost-effectiveness study
Leakage of polymethylmethacrylate in percutaneous vertebroplasty: comparison of osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
vertebral compression fractures with and without an intravertebral vacuum cleft
Cement augmentation of osteoporotic compression fractures and intraoperative navigation: summary
Bazedoxifene reduces vertebral and clinical fractures in postmenopausal women at high risk assessed
Not specific to fracture patients
with FRAX((registered trademark))
Risedronate decreases fracture risk in patients selected solely on the basis of prior vertebral fracture
Post hoc subgroup analysis
Cost-effectiveness of raloxifene in the UK: an economic evaluation based on the MORE study
Cost-effectiveness study
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Effect of raloxifene on the risk of new vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women with osteopenia or
Not specific to fracture patients
osteoporosis: a reanalysis of the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation trial
Treatment of osteoporosis with vitamin D
Narrative review, bibliography screened
A double blind study of intranasal calcitonin for established postmenopausal osteoporosis
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
The cluster phenomenon in patients who have multiple vertebral compression fractures
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Posture training support: Preliminary report on a series of patients with diminished symptomatic
Not best available evidence
complications of osteoporosis
Kapuscinski 1996
An analgesic effect of synthetic human calcitonin in patients with primary osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: New treatment strategies for fractures in the osteoporotic spine
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Comparison of CT characteristics of extravertebral cement leakages after vertebroplasty performed by
Does not compare two treatments;
different navigation and injection techniques
compares techniques of a treatment
Treatment of painful vertebral fractures by kyphoplasty in patients with primary osteoporosis: a
Not best available evidence
prospective nonrandomized controlled study
Teriparatide effects on vertebral fractures and bone mineral density in men with osteoporosis:
Post hoc subgroup analysis
treatment and discontinuation of therapy
Age of fracture and clinical outcomes of percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for vertebral compression fracture: Indication, technique, and review of
Retrospective case series
Percutaneous vertebral compression fracture management with polyethylene mesh-contained
Systematic review, bibliography
morcelized allograft bone
Functional outcomes of kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic and osteolytic vertebral
Not best available evidence
compression fractures
Pulmonary cement embolism after percutaneous vertebroplasty in osteoporotic vertebral compression
Not best available evidence
fractures: incidence, characteristics, and risk factors
Radiofrequency neurotomy of the gray ramus communicans for lumbar osteoporotic compression
Retrospective case series
Osteoporotic compression fractures of the spine; current options and considerations for treatment
Narrative review, bibliography screened
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Percutaneous vertebroplasty and facet joint block
Not best available evidence
Intravertebral vacuum phenomenon in osteoporotic compression fracture: report of 67 cases with
Retrospective case series
quantitative evaluation of intravertebral instability
Risk factors of new compression fractures in adjacent vertebrae after percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Nerve-root injections for the relief of pain in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Not best available evidence
VERTOS II: Percutaneous vertebroplasty versus conservative therapy in patients with painful
Description of study design
osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures; rationale, objectives and design of a multicenter randomized controlled trial
Clinical outcomes with hemivertebral filling during percutaneous vertebroplasty
Does not compare two treatments; compares techniques of a treatment
Fate of the transpedicular intervertebral bone graft after posterior stabilisation of thoracolumbar
Retrospective case series
Calcitonin for treating acute pain of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a systematic review
Systematic review, bibliography
of randomized, controlled trials
Prophylactic vertebroplasty: cement injection into non-fractured vertebral bodies during percutaneous
Does not compare two treatments;
compares techniques of a treatment
Percutaneous vertebroplasty immediately relieves pain of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Not best available evidence
and prevents prolonged immobilization of patients
Outcomes of patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy who undergo percutaneous
Retrospective case series
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for compression fracture: analysis of vertebral body volume by CT
Not best available evidence
Minimal invasive short posterior instrumentation plus balloon kyphoplasty with calcium phosphate for
Not best available evidence
burst and severe compression lumbar fractures
Direct reduction of thoracolumbar burst fractures by means of balloon kyphoplasty with calcium
Incorrect patient population
phosphate and stabilization with pedicle-screw instrumentation and fusion
Evolution of bone mineral density after percutaneous kyphoplasty in fresh osteoporotic vertebral body
Not best available evidence
fractures and adjacent vertebrae along with sagittal spine alignment
Kyphosis reduction and the rate of cement leaks after vertebroplasty of intravertebral clefts
Not best available evidence
Management of pulmonary cement embolism after percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: a
Systematic review, bibliography
systematic review of the literature
Bone mineral density and serum levels of 25 OH vitamin D in chronic users of antiepileptic drugs
Incorrect patient population
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Vertebroplasty in osteoporotic spine fractures: a quality of life assessment
Not best available evidence
Treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis with phosphate and intermittent calcitonin
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Alendronate reduced vertebral fracture risk in postmenopausal Japanese women with osteoporosis: a
Less than 50% follow-up
3-year follow-up study
Landin Wilhelmsen 2003
Growth hormone increases bone mineral content in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized
Not specific to fracture patients
placebo-controlled trial
Skeletal metabolism in patients with osteoporosis after discontinuation of long-term treatment with
Not best available evidence
oral pamidronate
Intravertebral clefts opacified during vertebroplasty: pathogenesis, technical implications, and
Retrospective case series
prognostic significance
Teriparatide versus alendronate for treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: an analysis by
Not specific to fracture patients
gender and menopausal status
Effectiveness of antiresorptives for the prevention of nonvertebral low-trauma fractures in a
Not specific to fracture patients
population-based cohort of women
Complications of percutaneous vertebroplasty and their prevention
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Comparison of the analgesic efficacy of pamidronate and synthetic human calcitonin in osteoporotic
Treatment comparison not relevant
vertebral fractures: a double-blind controlled study
Use of injectable calcium phosphate cement for fracture fixation: a review
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Effect of s-calcitonin on pain related to recent osteoporotic vertebral fractures: A single-blind
Treatment comparison not relevant
controlled clinical study against ipriflavone
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebroplasty, first 1000 levels of a single center: evaluation of the outcomes and complications
Retrospective case series
Vertebroplasty using real-time, fluoroscopy-controlled, catheter-assisted, low-viscosity cement
Not best available evidence
Clinical and radiographic results of unilateral transpedicular balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of
Not best available evidence
osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
The osteoporotic spine
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Legroux Gerot 2004
Long-term follow-up of vertebral osteoporotic fractures treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty
Not best available evidence
Leidig Bruckner 1994
Comparison of a semiquantitative and a quantitative method for assessing vertebral fractures in
Does not investigate efficacy of
The efficacy and tolerability of risedronate on bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in
Not specific to fracture patients
osteoporotic Chinese women: a randomized placebo-controlled study
Pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
An evidence-based evaluation of percutaneous vertebroplasty
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Alendronate reduces the risk of multiple symptomatic fractures: results from the fracture intervention
Subgroup analysis of included RCT
Bazedoxifene and bazedoxifene combined with conjugated estrogens for the management of
postmenopausal osteoporosis
Effects of Knight-Taylor brace on balance performance in osteoporotic patients with vertebral
Does not report patient oriented
compression fracture
Effect of oral alendronate on bone mineral density and the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
Surgical innovations: Kyphoplasty for women with compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebral augmentation and the limits of interpreting complications reported in the food and drug
administration manufacturer and user facility device experience database
Initial outcome and efficacy of 'kyphoplasty' in the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral
Not best available evidence
compression fractures
Fractures of the thoraco-lumbar spine
Incorrect patient population
Percutaneous vertebroplasty improves pain and physical functioning in elderly osteoporotic vertebral
Not best available evidence
compression fracture patients
New symptomatic compression fracture after percutaneous vertebroplasty at the thoracolumbar
Retrospective case series
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Vertebroplasty: cement leakage into the disc increases the risk of new fracture of adjacent vertebral
Retrospective case series
The role of imaging studies of percutaneous vertebroplasty in 63 patients with osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
compression fracture: Preliminary report
Transpedicula PMMA vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture
Not best available evidence
Interim report on treatment of osteoporotic patients with 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 and calcium
Not best available evidence
Longitudinal progression of fracture prevalence through a population of postmenopausal women with
Does not investigate efficacy of
Sustained vertebral fracture risk reduction after withdrawal of teriparatide in postmenopausal women
Not best available evidence
with osteoporosis
Risk of new vertebral fracture in the year following a fracture
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Addition of alendronate to ongoing hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis: a
Not specific to fracture patients
randomized, controlled clinical trial
Randomised controlled study of effect of parathyroid hormone on vertebral-bone mass and fracture
Insufficient data
incidence among postmenopausal women on oestrogen with osteoporosis
Medical treatment of vertebral osteoporosis
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Effects of raloxifene hydrochloride on bone mineral density, bone metabolism and serum lipids in
Not specific to fracture patients
Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: a multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: Complementary techniques for the treatment of painful osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
vertebral compression fractures. A prospective non-randomised study on 154 patients
Vertebral fractures in steroid dependent asthma and involutional osteoporosis: a comparative study
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Economic evaluation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the treatment of osteoporosis in
Cost-effectiveness study
postmenopausal women
Analgesic effects of calcitonin
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging after percutaneous vertebroplasty does not
Not best available evidence
improve the short-term prediction of new compression fractures
Prospective study of standalone balloon kyphoplasty with calcium phosphate cement augmentation in
Not best available evidence
traumatic fractures
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Preliminary outcomes and efficacy of the first 360 consecutive kyphoplasties for the treatment of
Retrospective case series
painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Effects of risedronate or alfacalcidol on bone mineral density, bone turnover, back pain, and fractures
Not specific to fracture patients
in Japanese men with primary osteoporosis: results of a two-year strict observational study
Efficacy of combined treatment with raloxifene and alfacalcidol on bone density and biochemical
Not specific to fracture patients
markers of bone turnover in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Association between baseline values of bone turnover markers and bone mineral density and their
Not specific to fracture patients
response to raloxifene treatment in Japanese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Clinical significance of 1-year treatment with raloxifene on bone and lipid metabolism in Japanese
Not specific to fracture patients
postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Incidental vertebral fractures discovered with chest radiography in the emergency department:
Does not investigate efficacy of
prevalence, recognition, and osteoporosis management in a cohort of elderly patients
Maksymowych 1998
Managing acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures with calcitonin
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Positive effects of physiotherapy on chronic pain and performance in osteoporosis
Insufficient data
Risk-benefit ratio of sodium fluoride treatment in primary vertebral osteoporosis
Insufficient data
Minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
The teriparatide in the treatment of severe senile osteoporosis
Does not report relevant outcome
Effect of carbonated hydroxyapatite cement for filing vertebral body on the vertebral heights and pain
Does not compare two treatments;
in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
compares techniques of a treatment
The skeletal response to teriparatide is largely independent of age, initial bone mineral density, and
Post hoc subgroup analysis of included
prevalent vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Antiresorptive treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: comparison of study designs and outcomes
Narrative review, bibliography
in large clinical trials with fracture as an endpoint
Early effects of raloxifene on clinical vertebral fractures at 12 months in postmenopausal women with
Subgroup analysis of included RCT
Strontium ranelate prevents quality of life impairment in post-menopausal women with established
Does not report relevant outcome
vertebral osteoporosis
Safety assessment of raloxifene over eight years in a clinical trial setting
Not specific to fracture patients
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Kyphoplasty: indications, contraindications and technique
Less than 10 patients meeting inclusion criteria
Effects of cyclical etidronate combined with calcitriol versus cyclical etidronate alone on spine and
Not specific to fracture patients
femoral neck bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporotic women
Vertebroplasty versus kyphoplasty: A comparison and contrast
Vertebral compression fractures: manage aggressively to prevent sequelae
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Complications following Harrington instrumentation for fractures of the thoracolumbar spine
Retrospective case series
1150 kyphoplasties over 7 years: indications, techniques, and intraoperative complications
Not best available evidence
Effects of clodronate on vertebral fracture risk in osteoporosis: a 1-year interim analysis
Not specific to fracture patients
The effect of operator variability and experience in vertebroplasty outcomes
Not relevant, comparison of surgeon experience
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures: an evidenced-
Systematic review, bibliography
based review of the literature
Predictive value of intraosseous venography before percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Prospective evaluation of pain relief in 100 patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty: results
Not best available evidence
Quality of life following vertebroplasty
Not best available evidence
Reporting height restoration in vertebral compression fractures
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
The biomechanics of long versus short fixation for thoracolumbar spine fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebroplasty for osteoporotic spine fracture: prevention and treatment
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Seven years of treatment with risedronate in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Epidemiology of vertebral fractures: implications for vertebral augmentation
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Strontium ranelate prevented vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Design and methodology of the phase 3 trials for the clinical development of strontium ranelate in the
Description of study design
treatment of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis
Combined use of teriparatide and TNFalpha blockade: safety
Less than 10 patients per group
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Vitamin K(2) (menaquinone 4) reduces serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin level as early as 2 weeks
Does not report patient oriented
in elderly women with established osteoporosis
Denosumab: anti-RANKL antibody
Non-vertebral fracture risk reduction with oral bisphosphonates: challenges with interpreting clinical
Systematic review, bibliography
Once-monthly oral ibandronate compared with weekly oral alendronate in postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
osteoporosis: Results from the head-to-head MOTION study
Weekly oral alendronic Acid in male osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
Cyclical etidronate in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: efficacy and safety after seven
Follow-up study to included RCT
years of treatment
Risedronate for prevention of bone mineral density loss in patients receiving high-dose
Not specific to fracture patients
glucocorticoids: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: Biomechanics, outcomes, and complications
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Stabilisation of fractured thoracic and lumbar spine with Cotrel-Dubousset instrument
Incorrect patient population
Three-year effectiveness of intravenous pamidronate versus pamidronate plus slow-release sodium
Incorrect patient population
fluoride for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Vertebroplasty: techniques to avoid complications
Retrospective case series
Pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis for people over 70
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurologic deficit by indirect reduction and
Retrospective case series
posterior instrumentation: bisegmental stabilization with monosegmental fusion
Effect of alendronate and MK-677 (a growth hormone secretagogue), individually and in combination,
Incorrect patient population
on markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporotic women
Antiresorption therapy and reduction in fracture susceptibility in the osteoporotic elderly patient: open
Not specific to fracture patients
Vertebroplasty in the treatment of back pain
Does not report validated, patient oriented outcomes
Treatment of the vertebral crush fracture syndrome with enteric-coated sodium fluoride tablets and
Retrospective case series
calcium supplements
The importance of genetic and nutritional factors in responses to vitamin D and its analogs in
Narrative review, bibliography
osteoporotic patients
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Calcium phosphate cement-based vertebroplasty compared with conservative treatment for
Not best available evidence
osteoporotic compression fractures: a matched case-control study
Calcium phosphate cement leakage after percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral
Not best available evidence
fractures: risk factor analysis for cement leakage
Percutaneous transpedicular vertebroplasty with calcium phosphate cement in the treatment of
Retrospective case series
osteoporotic vertebral compression and burst fractures
The response to calcitriol therapy in postmenopausal osteoporotic women is a function of initial
Does not report patient oriented
calcium absorptive status
The effect of alendronate on progression of spinal osteophytes and disc-space narrowing
Does not report relevant outcome
Effect of alendronate on limited-activity days and bed-disability days caused by back pain in
Does not report relevant outcome
postmenopausal women with existing vertebral fractures. Fracture Intervention Trial Research Group
Association of prevalent vertebral fractures, bone density, and alendronate treatment with incident
Post hoc analysis
vertebral fractures: effect of number and spinal location of fractures. The Fracture Intervention Trial Research Group
Osteoporotic vertebral burst fractures with neurologic compromise
Retrospective case series
Osteoporotic vertebral fracture in clinical practice. 669 Patients diagnosed over a 10 year period
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
A review of complications associated with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty as reported to the Food and
Narrative review, bibliography
Drug Administration medical device related web site
Obermayer Pietsch 2008
Effects of two years of daily teriparatide treatment on BMD in postmenopausal women with severe
Not specific to fracture patients
osteoporosis with and without prior antiresorptive treatment
The impact of incident vertebral and non-vertebral fragility fractures on health-related quality of life in
Does not investigate efficacy of
established postmenopausal osteoporosis: results from the teriparatide randomized, placebo-controlled
trial in postmenopausal women
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in the fractured osteoporotic spine
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Intravertebral cleft sign on fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced MR: correlation with cement distribution
Retrospective case series
pattern on percutaneous vertebroplasty
Health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women with low BMD with or without prevalent
Does not investigate efficacy of
vertebral fractures
Alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in men
Cement augmentation techniques in traumatic thoracolumbar spine fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Less invasive anterior column reconstruction in thoracolumbar fractures
Some complications of common treatment schemes of thoracolumbar spine fractures can be predicted
Incorrect patient population
with magnetic resonance imaging: prospective study of 53 patients with 71 fractures
Ontario Ministry of Health
Balloon kyphoplasty (Brief record)
Systematic review, bibliography
7 Long Term Care 2004
Effects of 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 on lumbar bone mineral density and vertebral fractures in
Not specific to fracture patients
patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis
Reduced occurrence of vertebral crush fractures in senile osteoporosis treated with 1 alpha (OH)-
Insufficient data
Lordoplasty: report on early results with a new technique for the treatment of vertebral compression
Not best available evidence
fractures to restore the lordosis
Strontium ranelate: an increased bone quality leading to vertebral antifracture efficacy at all stages
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Bone histomorphometric changes after cyclic therapy with phosphate and etidronate disodium in
Does not report patient oriented
women with postmenopausal osteoporosis
Calcitriol treatment is not effective in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
A new biochemical marker of bone resorption for follow-up on treatment with nasal salmon calcitonin
Not specific to fracture patients
Long-term treatment of established osteoporosis with intranasal calcitonin
Incorrect patient population
Influence of the selective oestrogen receptor modulator (raloxifene hydrochloride) on IL-6, TNF-
Not specific to fracture patients
alpha, TGF-beta1 and bone turnover markers in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Calcitonin and calcium combined therapy in osteoporosis: effects on vertebra trabecular bone density
Not best available evidence
Sustained-release sodium fluoride in the management of established postmenopausal osteoporosis
Insufficient data
Effect of intermittent therapy with a slow-release fluoride preparation
Insufficient data
Safe and effective treatment of osteoporosis with intermittent slow release sodium fluoride:
Not specific to fracture patients
augmentation of vertebral bone mass and inhibition of fractures
Effect of calcitonin and vitamin D in osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Effectiveness of risedronate in osteoporotic postmenopausal women with inflammatory bowel disease:
Not specific to fracture patients
a prospective, parallel, open-label, two-year extension study
Clinical results of an open prospective study of a bis-GMA composite in percutaneous vertebral
Not best available evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Papadopoulos 2008
Unipedicular balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures:
Not best available evidence
Papaioannou 2006
Determinants of health-related quality of life in women with vertebral fractures
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Papaioannou 2002
Diagnosis and management of vertebral fractures in elderly adults
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Treatment of chronic mechanical spinal pain with intravenous pamidronate: a review of medical
Incorrect patient population
Urinary bone resorption markers in monitoring treatment of symptomatic osteoporosis
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Effect of ipriflavone on bone mass in elderly osteoporotic women
Insufficient reporting of outcomes
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the management of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Neurologic deficit following percutaneous vertebral stabilization
Less than 10 patients per group
Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of tibolone on bone mineral density in
Insufficient data
postmenopausal osteoporotic women with and without previous fractures
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: indications, contraindications, and technique
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: a new technique for treatment of painful compression fractures
The effects of alendronate treatment in osteoporotic patients affected by monoclonal gammopathy of
Not specific to fracture patients
undetermined significance
Perez Higueras 2002
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: long-term clinical and radiological outcome
Not best available evidence
Pflugmacher 2009
Balloon kyphoplasty combined with posterior instrumentation for the treatment of burst fractures of
Not best available evidence
the spine--1-year results
Pflugmacher 2006
Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of pathological vertebral body fracture and
Incorrect patient population
deformity in multiple myeloma: a one-year follow-up
Minimally invasive treatments of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Early radiographic and clinical results of balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
vertebral compression fractures
Minimally invasive treatments of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: vertebroplasty and
Narrative review, bibliography
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Spinal body reconstruction in osteoporosis
CT-guided vertebroplasty in osteoprotic vertebral fractures: incidence of secondary fractures and
Not best available evidence
impact of intradiscal cement leakages during follow-up
CT-guided vertebroplasty: analysis of technical results, extraosseous cement leakages, and
Not best available evidence
complications in 500 procedures
Percutaneous vertebroplasty as a treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a
Systematic review, bibliography
systematic review
Intranasal salcatonin (salmon calcitonin). A review of its pharmacological properties and role in the
Narrative review, bibliography
management of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Pongsoipetch 2007
Pain reduction in patients with painful vertebral compression fractures undergoing percutaneous
Retrospective case series
Sodium fluoride in the treatment of osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Percutaneous vertebroplasty: new treatment for vertebral compression fractures
The pathogenesis of age-related osteoporotic fracture: effects of dietary calcium deprivation
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Analgesic effect of intranasal salmon calcitonin in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Less than 10 patients per group
Alendronate increases BMD at appendicular and axial skeletons in patients with established
Not specific to fracture patients
The effect of raloxifene therapy on the risk of new clinical vertebral fractures at three and six months:
Not specific to fracture patients
a secondary analysis of the MORE trial
Effect of alendronate on vertebral fracture risk in women with bone mineral density T scores of-1.6 to
Post hoc subgroup analysis
-2.5 at the femoral neck: the Fracture Intervention Trial
Monthly dosing with risedronate 50 mg on three consecutive days a month compared with daily
Not specific to fracture patients
dosing with risedronate 5 mg: a 6-month pilot study
Research Reporting Standards for Percutaneous Vertebral Augmentation
Characterization of patients in the European Forsteo Observational Study (EFOS): postmenopausal
Does not investigate efficacy of
women entering teriparatide treatment in a community setting
Vertebroplasty for vertebral compression fracture
Not best available evidence
Oral Ibandronate Preserves Trabecular Microarchitecture: Micro-Computed Tomography Findings
Does not report relevant outcome
From the Oral Ibandronate Osteoporosis Vertebral Fracture Trial in North America and Europe Study
Comparative effects of raloxifene and alendronate on fracture outcomes in postmenopausal women
Incorrect patient population
with low bone mass
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Histomorphometric evaluation of daily and intermittent oral ibandronate in women with
Does not report patient oriented
postmenopausal osteoporosis: results from the BONE study
Effects of long-term strontium ranelate treatment on the risk of nonvertebral and vertebral fractures in
Not specific to fracture patients
postmenopausal osteoporosis: Results of a five-year, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Efficacy and tolerability of once-monthly oral ibandronate in postmenopausal osteoporosis: 2 year
Does not investigate efficacy of
results from the MOBILE study
Raloxifene reduces fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Importance of alfacalcidol in clinical conditions characterized by high rate of bone loss
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Strontium ranelate reduces the risk of nonvertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with
Post hoc subgroup analysis
osteoporosis: Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis (TROPOS) study
Reduction in PINP, a marker of bone metabolism, with raloxifene treatment and its relationship with
Not specific to fracture patients
vertebral fracture risk
Strontium ranelate phase 2 dose-ranging studies: PREVOS and STRATOS studies
Report of parallel studies, identical results for applicable study reported in another article
Strontium ranelate in osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Intermittent cyclic tiludronate in the treatment of osteoporosis
Insufficient data
The effect of sodium monofluorophosphate plus calcium on vertebral fracture rate in postmenopausal
Not specific to fracture patients
women with moderate osteoporosis. A randomized, controlled trial
Efficacy and tolerability of calcitonin in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Design for an ipriflavone multicenter European fracture study
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Zoledronic acid and risedronate in the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced
Not specific to fracture patients
osteoporosis (HORIZON): a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised controlled trial
A comparison of the effect of alendronate and risedronate on bone mineral density in postmenopausal
Does not report relevant outcome
women with osteoporosis: 24-Month results from
Addition of monofluorophosphate to estrogen therapy in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized
Not specific to fracture patients
controlled trial
Intermittent intravenous zoledronic acid increased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women
Incorrect patient population
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Estimated long-term effect of calcitonin treatment in acute osteoporotic spine fractures
Does not report patient oriented outcomes
Kyphoplasty: report of eighty-two thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Retrospective case series
Salmon calcitonin reduces vertebral fracture rate in postmenopausal crush fracture syndrome
Insufficient data
Drug therapy for vertebral fractures in osteoporosis: evidence that decreases in bone turnover and
Does not investigate efficacy of
increases in bone mass both determine antifracture efficacy
Treatment of primary osteoporosis with fluoride and calcium. Clinical tolerance and fracture
Not best available evidence
Absolute risk reduction in osteoporosis: assessing treatment efficacy by number needed to treat
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Sustained efficacy of risedronate in men with primary and secondary osteoporosis: results of a 2-year
Not specific to fracture patients
Potential of alfacalcidol for reducing increased risk of falls and fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Efficacy of risedronate in men with primary and secondary osteoporosis: results of a 1-year study
Not specific to fracture patients
Alfacalcidol versus plain vitamin D in the treatment of glucocorticoid/inflammation-induced
Narrative review, bibliography
Alendronate treatment of established primary osteoporosis in men: 3-year results of a prospective,
Not specific to fracture patients
comparative, two-arm study
Transdermal fentanyl for the treatment of back pain caused by vertebral osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Treatment of male osteoporosis: recent advances with alendronate
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Monofluorophosphate combined with hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Not best available evidence
An open-label pilot efficacy and safety study
Alendronate treatment of established primary osteoporosis in men: results of a 2-year prospective
Not specific to fracture patients
Treatment of osteoporosis in men with fluoride alone or in combination with bisphosphonates
Incorrect patient population
Long-term strategy in the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Osteoporosis: non-hormonal treatment
Long-term outcome of weekly bisphosphonates
Narrative review, bibliography screened
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Two-year results of once-weekly administration of alendronate 70 mg for the treatment of
Not specific to fracture patients
postmenopausal osteoporosis
Kyphoplasty for the management of osteoporotic and malignant fractures of the spine
Retrospective case series
Spinal loads after osteoporotic vertebral fractures treated by vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty
Biomechanical study
The role of parathyroid hormone in the management of osteoporosis
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Can the prophylactic use of raloxifene, a selective estrogen-receptor modulator, prevent bone mineral
loss and fractures in women with diagnosed osteoporosis or vertebral fractures?
Once-monthly oral ibandronate in postmenopausal osteoporosis: translation and updated review
Systematic review, bibliography screened
Percutaneous vertebroplasty compared to conservative treatment in patients with painful acute or
Not best available evidence
subacute osteoporotic vertebral fractures: three-months follow-up in a clinical randomized study
Prevalence of risk factors for referring post-menopausal women for bone densitometry. The
Does not investigate efficacy of
Strontium ranelate reduces the risk of vertebral fracture in young postmenopausal women with severe
Post hoc subgroup analysis
Intravenous clodronate for acute pain induced by osteoporotic vertebral fracture
Treatment comparison not relevant
Intermittent oral disodium pamidronate in established osteoporosis: A 2 year double-masked placebo-
Not specific to fracture patients
controlled study of efficacy and safety
Single balloon kyphoplasty using far-lateral extrapedicular approach: technical note and preliminary
Not best available evidence
Teriparatide or alendronate in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
A comparison of continuous alendronate, cyclical alendronate and cyclical etidronate with calcitriol in
Does not report relevant outcome
the treatment of postmenopausal vertebral osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial
Percutaneous vertebroplasty performed by the isocenter puncture method
Not specific to fracture patients
Incidence and outcome of osteoporotic fractures in 2004 in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
The management of pain from collapse of osteoporotic vertebrae with continuous intrathecal
Not best available evidence
morphine infusion
Relationships between bone mineral density and incident vertebral fracture risk with raloxifene
Does not investigate efficacy of
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Longterm effect of intermittent cyclical etidronate therapy on corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis in
Incorrect patient population
Japanese patients with connective tissue disease: 7-year followup
Clinical inquiries. Who should receive vertebroplasty?
Are there differences between men and women prescribed bisphosphonate therapy in canadian
Does not investigate efficacy of
subspecialty osteoporosis practices?
Therapeutic equivalence of alendronate 70 mg once-weekly and alendronate 10 mg daily in the
Not specific to fracture patients
treatment of osteoporosis. Alendronate Once-Weekly Study Group
Bone fragility of the peripheral skeleton during fluoride therapy for osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Radiographic features of the spine in fluoride therapy for osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Cost-effectiveness of alendronate therapy for osteopenic postmenopausal women
Cost-effectiveness study
Strontium ranelate reduces the risk of vertebral fractures in patients with osteopenia
Post hoc subgroup analysis
Relationship between pretreatment bone resorption and vertebral fracture incidence in postmenopausal
Post hoc subgroup analysis
osteoporotic women treated with risedronate
Effects of two-levels, four-levels, and four-levels plus offset-hook posterior fixation techniques on
Incorrect patient population
protecting the surgical correction of unstable thoracolumbar vertebral fractures: A clinical study
Vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: results and functional outcome in a
Not best available evidence
series of 175 consecutive patients
Functional outcome of low lumbar burst fractures. A multicenter review of operative and nonoperative
Incorrect patient population
treatment of L3-L5
Continuous intrathecal morphine infusion in patients with vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Alendronate versus calcitriol for the prevention of bone loss after cardiac transplantation
Not specific to fracture patients
Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a review of current surgical management techniques
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: treatment techniques for managing osteoporotic vertebral
Narrative review, bibliography
compression fractures
Late instability in cervical spine fractures secondary to laminectomy
Incorrect patient population
Effects of 2 years' treatment of osteoporosis with 1 alpha-hydroxy vitamin D3 on bone mineral density
Not specific to fracture patients
and incidence of fracture: a placebo-controlled, double-blind prospective study
Evaluation of the drug therapy for established osteoporosis by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry
Not specific to fracture patients
A double-masked multicenter comparative study between alendronate and alfacalcidol in Japanese
Not specific to fracture patients
patients with osteoporosis. The Alendronate Phase III Osteoporosis Treatment Research Group
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Efficacy of bazedoxifene in reducing new vertebral fracture risk in postmenopausal women with
Insufficient data
osteoporosis: results from a 3-year, randomized, placebo-, and active-controlled clinical trial
Comparison of fracture, cardiovascular event, and breast cancer rates at 3 years in postmenopausal
Does not investigate efficacy of
women with osteoporosis
The analgesic role of calcitonin following osteoporotic fracture
Narrative review, bibliography screened
The relationship of health-related quality of life to prevalent and incident vertebral fractures in
Does not investigate efficacy of
postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: results from the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene
Evaluation Study
Prevention and management of osteoporosis: consensus statements from the Scientific Advisory
Narrative review, bibliography
Board of the Osteoporosis Society of Canada. 9. Calcitonin in the treatment of osteoporosis
Kyphoplasty and functional outcomes in patients with osteoporotic fractures: Commentary
Osteoporotic compression fractures: outcomes after single- versus multiple-level percutaneous
Not best available evidence
Effects of risedronate on fracture risk in postmenopausal women with osteopenia
Not specific to fracture patients
Effects of raloxifene on fracture severity in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: results from
follow up analysis of included RCT
the MORE study. Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation
Alendronate in the treatment of osteoporosis: a review of the clinical trials
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Long-term efficacy of risedronate: a 5-year placebo-controlled clinical experience
Less than 50% follow-up
Effect of two forms of alendronate administration upon bone mass after two years of treatment
Not specific to fracture patients
Physiotherapy and osteoporosis: practice behaviors and clinicians' perceptions--a survey
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Nonoperative treatment of thoracic and lumbar spine fractures: a prospective randomized study of
Incorrect patient population
different treatment options
Monthly oral ibandronate is effective and well tolerated after 3 years: the MOBILE long-term
Does not investigate efficacy of
A randomized study on the effects of estrogen/gestagen or high dose oral calcium on trabecular bone
Does not report patient oriented
remodeling in postmenopausal osteoporosis
Five years of treatment with risedronate and its effects on bone safety in women with postmenopausal
Not best available evidence
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Treatment of painful osteoporotic compression and burst fractures using kyphoplasty: a prospective
Not best available evidence
observational design
Five years of clinical experience with intermittent cyclical etidronate for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not best available evidence
Effect of intermittent cyclical etidronate therapy on bone mass and fracture rate in women with
Insufficient data
postmenopausal osteoporosis
Cost-effectiveness of balloon kyphoplasty in patients with symptomatic vertebral compression
Cost-effectiveness study
fractures in a UK setting
A randomized study of tibolone on bone mineral density in osteoporotic postmenopausal women with
Not specific to fracture patients
previous fractures
Vertebroplasty: The alternative treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in the
Retrospective case series
Three-year calcitonin combination therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis with crush fractures of
Insufficient data
Effect of vitamin K and/or D on undercarboxylated and intact osteocalcin in osteoporotic patients with
Does not report patient oriented
vertebral or hip fractures
Differences of therapeutic effects on regional bone mineral density and markers of bone mineral
Incorrect patient population
metabolism between alendronate and alfacalcidol in Japanese osteoporotic women
Relationship between cement distribution pattern and new compression fracture after percutaneous
Not best available evidence
Back pain, vertebroplasty, and kyphoplasty: Treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Balloon kyphoplasty in the management of vertebral compression fractures: an updated systematic
Systematic review, bibliography
review and meta-analysis
Balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty for vertebral compression fractures: a comparative systematic
Systematic review, bibliography
review of efficacy and safety
Follow-up on percutaneous vertebroplasty using PMMA in osteoporotic patients
Retrospective case series
A simplified method of opacifying and mixing acrylic cement for percutaneous vertebroplasty: a
Not best available evidence
clinical and in vitro study
Kyphosis correction and height restoration effects of percutaneous vertebroplasty
Retrospective case series
Long segment instrumentation of thoracolumbar burst fracture: Fusion versus nonfusion
Not relevant, comparison not considered for this guideline
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Posterior fixation of thoracolumbar burst fracture: short-segment pedicle fixation versus long-segment
Incorrect patient population
Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty for the correction of spinal deformity in painful vertebral body
Not best available evidence
compression fractures
Recurrence of vertebral fracture with cyclical etidronate therapy in osteoporosis: histomorphometry
Not best available evidence
and X-Ray microanalysis evaluation
Effects of simvastatin on bone mineral density and remodeling parameters in postmenopausal
Incorrect patient population
osteopenic subjects: 1-year follow-up study
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Insufficient data, n per group not reported
Therapies for treatment of osteoporosis in US women: cost-effectiveness and budget impact
Cost-effectiveness study
Improvement in bone strength parameters. The role of strontium ranelate
Does vertebroplasty cause incident vertebral fractures? A review of available data
Systematic review, bibliography screened
New fractures after vertebroplasty: adjacent fractures occur significantly sooner
Retrospective case series
Subsequent vertebral fractures after vertebroplasty: association with intraosseous clefts
Retrospective case series
A randomized trial of nasal spray salmon calcitonin in men with idiopathic osteoporosis: Effects on
Not specific to fracture patients
bone mineral density and bone markers
The effectiveness of cyclic and continuous oral clodronate therapy on bone density and markers in
Not specific to fracture patients
osteopenic postmenopausal women
Effects of alendronate combined with hormone replacement therapy on osteoporotic postmenopausal
Incorrect patient population
Sacral insufficiency fractures: current concepts of management
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Percutaneous vertebroplasty in the management of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures:
Not best available evidence
initial experience
Back pain treatment in post-menopausal osteoporosis with vertebral fractures
Occurrence of new vertebral body fracture after percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with
Retrospective case series
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Effects of risedronate 5 mg/d on bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in late-
Not specific to fracture patients
postmenopausal women with osteopenia: a multinational, 24-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase III trial
Percutaneous cement injection into a created cavity for the treatment of vertebral body fracture:
Retrospective case series
preliminary results of a new vertebroplasty technique
The cost-effectiveness of bisphosphonates in postmenopausal women based on individual long-term
Cost-effectiveness study
Vasconcelos 2002
Is percutaneous vertebroplasty without pretreatment venography safe? Evaluation of 205 consecutives
Not best available evidence
Sacral fractures after multi-segmental lumbosacral fusion: a series of four cases and systematic review
Anterior spinal column augmentation with injectable bone cements
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Balloon vertebroplasty in combination with pedicle screw instrumentation: a novel technique to treat
Incorrect patient population
thoracic and lumbar burst fractures
Vertebral body replacement system Synex in unstable burst fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine
Incorrect patient population
CT-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty in the therapy of vertebral compression fractures
Retrospective case series
Postural correction by osteoporosis orthosis (Osteo-med): A randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Not specific to fracture patients
The risk of new osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in the year after percutaneous
Not best available evidence
Prospective clinical follow-up after percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with painful osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
vertebral compression fractures
Pain response in the first trimester after percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with osteoporotic
Not best available evidence
vertebral compression fractures with or without bone marrow edema
Vertebroplasty and the randomized study: Where science and ethics collide
Relationship between changes in bone mineral density and vertebral fracture risk associated with
Does not investigate efficacy of
risedronate: greater increases in bone mineral density do not relate to greater decreases in fracture risk
Risedronate prevents new vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women at high risk
Post hoc subgroup analysis of included RCT's
Use of matched historical controls to evaluate the anti-fracture efficacy of once-a-week risedronate
Not specific to fracture patients
Risedronate for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: results from recent
Narrative review, bibliography
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures with percutaneous vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty
Systematic review, bibliography screened
The clinical tolerability profile of alendronate
Narrative review, bibliography screened
WCB Evidence Based
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for pain relief in the management of compressive vertebral fractures
Systematic review, bibliography
Practice Group 2003
(Structured abstract)
Surgically controlled, transpedicular methyl methacrylate vertebroplasty with fluoroscopic guidance
Not best available evidence
Sacroplasty versus vertebroplasty: comparable clinical outcomes for the treatment of fracture-related
Retrospective case series
Bisphosphonates and osteoporotic fractures: a cross-design synthesis of results among
Systematic review, bibliography
compliant/persistent postmenopausal women in clinical practice versus randomized controlled trials
Wimalawansa 2000
Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis: efficacy of combination of hormone replacement therapy
Narrative review, bibliography
with other antiresorptive agents
Treatment of pain from osteoporotic vertebral collapse by percutaneous PMMA vertebroplasty
Not best available evidence
Anterior versus posterior surgical treatment for traumatic cervical spine dislocation
Xenodemetropoulos 2004
The impact of fragility fracture on health-related quality of life : the importance of antifracture therapy
Narrative review, bibliography screened
The efficacy and safety of calcitriol and/or Caltrate D in elderly Chinese women with low bone mass
Not specific to fracture patients
The efficacy and tolerability of once-weekly alendronate 70 mg on bone mineral density and bone
Not specific to fracture patients
turnover markers in postmenopausal Chinese women with osteoporosis
Osteoporosis management in prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy
Does not investigate efficacy of treatment
Efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral body
Not best available evidence
compression fractres: Compared with vertebroplasty
Operative versus non-operative treatment for thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurological
Systematic review, bibliography
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Japanese osteoporotic patients and its improvement by
Not best available evidence
elcatonin treatment
Management of painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Early clinical experience with the Syracuse I-Plate: an anterior spinal fixation device
Retrospective case series
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Table 96 Excluded Articles and Reason for Exclusion
Author Title
Reason for Exclusion
Effects of teriparatide [recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34)] on cortical bone in
Does not report patient oriented
postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Effect of high doses of oral risedronate (20 mg/day) on serum parathyroid hormone levels and urinary
Less than 10 patients per group
collagen cross-link excretion in postmenopausal women with spinal osteoporosis
A clinical study of Yigu capsule in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis
Not specific to fracture patients
Effects of combined treatment of Rocaltrol, Etidronate and Sisterly on bone pain and bone mineral
Not best available evidence
density in osteoporosis patients with vertebral fracture
Pharmacologic prevention of osteoporotic fractures
Narrative review, bibliography screened
Percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic compression fractures: quantitative prospective
Not best available evidence
evaluation of long-term outcomes
AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines Unit
Source: http://www.wkcx.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=attachment&aid=ODQ1fDM0MzRkNDZjfDE0Njg5MzY2OTV8MHw0NzY1Mw%3D%3D
The meniere attack: an ischemia/reperfusion disorder of inner ear sensory tissues
Contents lists available at Medical Hypotheses The Meniere attack: An ischemia/reperfusion disorder of inner earsensory tissues q,qq C.A. Foster R.E. Breeze a University of Colorado School of Medicine, Dept. of Otolaryngology, 12631 E. 17th Ave., B-205, Aurora, CO 80045, United Statesb University of Colorado School of Medicine, Dept. of Neurosurgery, United States We believe Meniere attacks arise as a chance association of endolymphatic hydrops and vascular risk fac-
boneresearch.ca
SOGC CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE No. 311, September 2014 (Replaces No. 222, January 2009) This clinical practice guideline has been prepared by the The literature searches and bibliographic support for this Menopause and Osteoporosis Working Group, reviewed guideline were undertaken by Becky Skidmore, Medical by the Clinical Practice Gynaecology and Family Physician