Study demonstrates Zoledronic acid provides protection against bone loss after acute SCI

Loss of bone density in those with a spinal cord injury touches virtually everyone with very limited solutions to slow it down, reverse or prevent it. An annual infusion of zoledronic acid can help attenuate bone loss in adults with acute spinal cord injury, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. This was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adults aged 18 years or older with acute spinal cord injury from February 2015 to March 2020. Participants had a spinal cord injury within 120 days of enrollment, were unable to ambulate independently, and had no known endocrinopathies other than diabetes and treated thyroid conditions.

There were 60 participants included in the study, with 30 in the zoledronic acid group and 30 receiving placebo at baseline. In year 1, adults receiving placebo lost 12.8% areal bone mineral density at the total hip and 11.3% at the femoral neck. Those receiving zoledronic acid lost 2.2% areal BMD at the total hip and 1.7% at the femoral neck. You can read more about this study HERE.