Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39888520›Full record

ArticleArchives of osteoporosis2025

Effects of denosumab and zoledronic acid on postmenopausal osteoporosis, bone density, and fat-free mass.

Jeonghoon Ha, Jinyoung Kim, Chaiho Jeong, Jeongmin Lee, Yejee Lim, Ki-Hyun Baek, Catholic Medical Center Bone Research Group

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Article in Archives of osteoporosis, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Rethinking Osteoporosis Drugs: Can We Simultaneously Address Sarcopenia?International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  6. Review
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

7 authors.

Jeonghoon HaDivision of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jinyoung KimDivision of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Chaiho JeongDivision of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jeongmin LeeDivision of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Yejee LimInternal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Ki-Hyun BaekDivision of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. drbkh@catholic.ac.kr.
Catholic Medical Center Bone Research Group

Funding

National Research Foundation of Korea RS-2023-00273406
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study compared denosumab and zoledronic acid for treating osteoporosis in drug-naïve postmenopausal Korean women. Over 3 years, both drugs significantly increased bone mineral density. However, denosumab also improved fat-free mass, suggesting it may be a better initial treatment for osteoporosis with low muscle mass, assuming all other conditions remain constant.

backgroundDenosumab (DMAB) and zoledronic acid (ZOL), which are strong antiresorptive agents, are used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopause. Nonetheless, the data on their comparative efficacy in drug-naïve patients remain limited. Our research compared the therapeutic efficacy of DMAB and ZOL in drug-naïve postmenopausal Korean women with osteoporosis.

methodsIn total, 120 women were enrolled and equally divided to the DMAB and ZOL groups. The bone density and biochemical parameters of the patients were monitored over 3 years. Furthermore, the changes in fat-free mass (FFM), which comprises muscle mass, were assessed by bioelectric impedance analysis. Baseline characteristics, including age, BMI, and the prevalence of fractures, were similar between the groups at the onset of the study. Serum 25(OH), calcium and, phosphorus levels and baseline bone mineral density (BMD) were also comparable between the groups.

resultsFollowing 3 years of treatment, both groups exhibited a significant increase in BMD versus the baseline value. In particular, BMD increased by 9.7% and 5.1% at the lumber spine and total hip, respectively, in the DMAB group, versus increases of 7.1% and 4.4%, respectively, in the ZOL group. The increase in FFM was greater in the DMAB group. BMI-adjusted FFM decreased by 1.3% in the ZOL group, versus an increase of 3.6% in the DMAB group.

conclusionsConclusively, both DMAB and ZOL are effective antiresorptive agents that improved BMD over 3 years in drug-naïve individuals. Moreover, DMAB might represent a more reliable initial option for patients with osteoporosis accompanied by low muscle mass.

Indexed as

Bone DensityBone Density Conservation AgentsDenosumabDiphosphonatesImidazolesOsteoporosis, PostmenopausalZoledronic AcidAgedBody CompositionFemaleHumansMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeBone Density Conservation AgentsDenosumabDiphosphonatesImidazolesZoledronic AcidBone densityDenosumabMusclesOsteoporosisZoledronic acid

Identifiers

PMID39888520

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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.