Efficacy of Zoledronic Acid in the Treatment of Nonmalignant Painful Bone Marrow Lesions: A Triple-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase III Clinical Trial (ZoMARS).
Lothar SeefriedFranca GenestJasmin BaumannAnke HeidemeierRainer MeffertFranz JakobPublished in: Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2022)
Bone marrow lesions (BML) represent areas of deteriorated bone structure and metabolism characterized by pronounced water-equivalent signaling within the trabecular bone on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). BML are associated with repair mechanisms subsequent to various clinical conditions associated with inflammatory and non-inflammatory injury to the bone. There is no approved treatment for this condition. Bisphosphonates are known to improve bone stability in osteoporosis and other bone disorders and have been used off-label to treat BML. A randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial was conducted to assess efficacy and safety of single-dose zoledronic acid (ZOL) 5 mg iv with vitamin D 1000 IU/d as opposed to placebo with vitamin D 1000 IU/d in 48 patients (randomized 2:1) with BML. Primary efficacy endpoint was reduction of edema volume 6 weeks after treatment as assessed by MRI. After treatment, mean BML volume decreased by 64.53% (±41.92%) in patients receiving zoledronic acid and increased by 14.43% (±150.46%) in the placebo group (p = 0.007). A decrease in BML volume was observed in 76.5% of patients receiving ZOL and in 50% of the patients receiving placebo. Pain level (visual analogue scale [VAS]) and all categories of the pain disability index (PDI) improved with ZOL versus placebo after 6 weeks but reconciled after 6 additional weeks of follow-up. Six serious adverse events occurred in 5 patients, none of which were classified as related to the study drug. No cases of osteonecrosis or fractures occurred. Therefore, single-dose zoledronic acid 5 mg iv together with vitamin D may enhance resolution of bone marrow lesions over 6 weeks along with reduction of pain compared with vitamin D supplementation only. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Keyphrases
- phase iii
- placebo controlled
- double blind
- clinical trial
- bone mineral density
- open label
- phase ii
- bone marrow
- magnetic resonance imaging
- postmenopausal women
- end stage renal disease
- soft tissue
- bone loss
- bone regeneration
- chronic pain
- phase ii study
- newly diagnosed
- study protocol
- multiple sclerosis
- mesenchymal stem cells
- chronic kidney disease
- ejection fraction
- emergency department
- pain management
- computed tomography
- contrast enhanced
- combination therapy
- oxidative stress
- neuropathic pain
- spinal cord injury
- gestational age
- diffusion weighted imaging