Place of alfacalcidol in treatment of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures

Abstract

Alfacalcidol has shown its efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with osteoporosis (OP) during various clinical studies. The article presents data from a study conducted in real clinical practice in order to assess the relevance of alfacalcidol in the treatment of OP patients and the patients' adherence to treatment. A survey of doctors and patients with OP and low-energy fractures was conducted. Alfacalcidol was prescribed by doctors in 27 % of cases, while in 19 % – in combination with antiresorptive drugs. Among the interviewed patients with the average duration of OP 3 years, 25 % of the respondents took alfacalcidol. Adherence to treatment during the last year was 38 %. Follow-up of patients after a low-energy fracture showed that 31 % of them received alfacalcidol, among whom treatment adherence for 36 months was 50 % for monotherapy, and 21 % for combination therapy. Thus, the survey showed that in real clinical practice, alfacalcidol is widely used both in the management of patients with OP and after low-energy fractures.