Pooling international data to understand long-term bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures
Official title: Pooling International Cohort Studies of Long-Term Bisphosphonate Use and Atypical Femur Fractures
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11638692 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project combines large patient datasets from multiple countries to understand how long-term bisphosphonate use relates to rare hip and thigh bone fractures, helping doctors and patients make safer treatment choices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $127,544 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR082562-05S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11638692 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women who have used bisphosphonates and are at risk for atypical femur fractures, as well as clinicians making treatment decisions for long-term osteoporosis care.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without osteoporosis or those not considering bisphosphonate therapy are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers will merge individual-level data from three major cohort studies, including radiographically confirmed atypical femur fractures and detailed medication histories, to study how long-term bisphosphonate therapy and drug holidays influence fracture risk. The work will harmonize definitions and use centralized statistical methods to identify which groups of women are more or less at risk. Findings could inform personalized timing of therapy and decisions about starting or pausing bisphosphonates.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could gain clearer guidance on how long to use bisphosphonates and when to consider drug holidays to minimize fracture risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large cohort analyses have shown associations between long-term bisphosphonate use and AFF; this project builds on that approach with harmonized data and deeper subgroups.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bauer, Douglas C — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Bauer, Douglas C
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.