Beneficial effect of risedronate on arterial thickening and stiffening with a reciprocal relationship to its effect on bone mass in female osteoporosis patients: A longitudinal study

AimsA longitudinal study was performed to examine the effect of risedronate on arterial thickening and stiffening in postmenopausal female osteoporosis patients.Main methodsPatients treated with risedronate (2.5 mg/day) (n = 33) and those that did not receive risedronate (n = 30, control group) were monitored over a 1-year period. Bone metabolic markers, bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur neck (FN), brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and intima-media thickness at the carotid artery (CA-IMT) were measured.Key findingsAt baseline, there was no significant difference in blood pressure, serum lipid profiles, FN BMD, baPWV and CA-IMT between the risedronate-treated patients and the controls. Baseline levels of FN BMD were significantly negatively correlated with those of CA-IMT and baPWV. During the study, FN BMD increased significantly in the risedronate group (p = 0.0097), but decreased significantly in the control group (p = 0.0013). BaPWV and CA-IMT did not change significantly in the risedronate group, but both increased significantly in the control group. The percentage change in FN BMD over the study period showed a significant negative correlation with those for baPWV (r = −0.294, p = 0.0262) and CA-IMT (r = −0.305, p = 0.0234) in all subjects (risedronate-treated patients and controls).SignificanceIn addition to increasing BMD, risedronate significantly suppressed the progression of arterial thickening and stiffening in postmenopausal osteoporotic patients over one year. These changes may indirectly be due to the effect of risedronate on bone.