Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24114396›Full record

SynthesisOsteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2014

β-Adrenergic receptor antagonists and fracture risk: a meta-analysis of selectivity, gender, and site-specific effects.

K A Toulis, K Hemming, S Stergianos, K Nirantharakumar, J P Bilezikian

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
3.0field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

44 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 71 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Association of β-adrenergic receptor blockers use with the risk of fracture in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Association of polymorphisms in the beta-2 adrenergic receptor gene with fracture risk and bone mineral density.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2015
    Pooled it
  4. Pharmacogenetic and microRNA mechanisms of beta blocker use on bone.Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research · 2025
    Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Clonidine increases bone resorption in humans.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2016
    Trial
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
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  12. Review
  13. The autonomic nervous system and bone health in chronic kidney disease.European journal of clinical investigation · 2025
    Review
  14. Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation and Bone Health in Patients with CKD: Potential for Intervention.Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN · 2025
    Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Evidence in Humans for Bone as an Endocrine Organ Regulating Energy Metabolism.Current opinion in endocrine and metabolic research · 2023
    Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

K A ToulisDepartment of Endocrinology, 424 General Military Hospital, Ring Road, Efkarpia, P.O. Box 55535, Thessaloniki, Greece, touliskos@gmail.com.
K Hemming
S Stergianos
K Nirantharakumar
J P Bilezikian
University of Birmingham · GB424 General Military Hospital · GRColumbia University · USSundsvall Municipality · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

unlabelledBy meta-analysis, the risk of fracture was 15% lower in patients treated with β-adrenergic blockers compared to controls independent of gender, fracture site, and dose. This might be attributable to β1-selective blockers.

introductionThe aim of this study is to determine by meta-analysis whether β-adrenergic blockers (BBs) reduce fracture risk and whether the effect, if demonstrable, is dependent upon selectivity, dose, gender, or fracture site.

methodsA literature search was performed in electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and reference sections of relevant articles to identify eligible studies. Adjusted estimates of fracture risk effect size (ES) were pooled across studies using fixed or random-effects (RE) meta-analysis as appropriate. Dose-related effects were evaluated using meta-regression. To explore the relative efficacy of β1-selective blockers in comparison to nonselective BBs, adjusted indirect comparison was performed.

resultsA total of 16 studies (7 cohort and 9 case-control studies), involving 1,644,570 subjects, were identified. The risk of any fracture was found to be significantly reduced in subjects receiving BBs as compared to control subjects (16 studies, RE pooled ES = 0.86, 95% CI 0.78-0.93; I(2) = 87 %). In a sensitivity analysis limited to those studies deemed to be most robust, the BB effect to reduce fracture risk was sustained (four studies, pooled ES = 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.94; I(2) = 96%). The risk of a hip fracture was lower in both women and men receiving BBs (women: pooled ES = 0.86, 95% CI 0.80-0.91; I(2) = 1% and men: pooled ES = 0.80, 95% CI 0.71-0.90; I(2) = 0%). Similar risk reductions were found for clinical vertebral and forearm fractures, although statistical significance was not reached. The reduction in risk did not appear to be dose-related (test for a linear trend p value 0.150). Using adjusted indirect comparisons, it was estimated that β1-selective agents were significantly more effective than nonselective BBs in reducing the risk of any fracture (six studies, β1-selective blockers vs. nonselective BBs: RE pooled ES = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.69-0.97).

conclusionsThe findings suggest that the risk of fracture is approximately 15% lower in patients treated with BBs compared to controls independent of gender, fracture site, and dose. This risk reduction might be associated with the effects of β1-selective blockers.

Indexed as

Adrenergic beta-AntagonistsDose-Response Relationship, DrugFemaleForearm InjuriesHip FracturesHumansMaleOsteoporotic FracturesRisk FactorsSex FactorsSpinal FracturesAdrenergic beta-Antagonists

Identifiers

PMID24114396
OpenAlexW2036183972

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.