Pooling international data to understand long-term bisphosphonate use and rare thigh fractures
Official title: Pooling International Cohort Studies of Long-Term Bisphosphonate Use and Atypical Femur Fractures
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11624855 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, collaborative study will combine patient data from several cohorts to understand how long-term bisphosphonate use relates to rare atypical femur fractures and to help doctors tailor osteoporosis treatment.
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) | $124,066 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR082562-05S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11624855 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults prescribed or considering bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis, especially postmenopausal women represented in the contributing cohorts.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not considering or using bisphosphonates or those without fracture history data may not directly benefit from this analysis.
What this research studies
This project brings together detailed, individual-level data from multiple long-term studies to examine how duration of bisphosphonate therapy and drug holidays affect the risk of atypical femur fractures. By harmonizing definitions and centralizing analyses, researchers aim to identify which groups of women may be more or less at risk when starting or stopping treatment. The goal is to provide clearer guidance for clinicians and patients balancing fracture prevention with rare adverse outcomes. The study uses radiographically confirmed fracture data, comprehensive medication histories, and standardized covariates to illuminate risk patterns over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help patients and doctors make more informed decisions about when to start, continue, or pause bisphosphonate therapy to reduce fracture risk while minimizing rare complications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous population-based studies have shown associations between long-term bisphosphonate use and AFF, but this project aims to clarify risk patterns through harmonized, large-scale data.
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.