Bisphosphonate effective in very elderly women

Risedronate reduces the risk of hip fracture in women aged 70–100 years who have osteoporosis, a subgroup analysis of the Hip Intervention Program study suggests (Clin Interv Aging 2009;4:445–9).

The analysis included 1656 women randomised to treatment with risedronate or placebo. Their mean age was 77 and approximately one-fifth were aged 80 or older. The three-year incidence of fracture was 3.8 per cent with risedronate and 7.4 per cent with placebo (relative risk 0.54, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.32–0.91). There was no difference in the frequency of adverse effects or death between the groups.