Background: Fractures secondary to osteoporosis, particularly those of the hip and spine, are a major public health concern with high social and economic costs. The Local Osteo-Enhancement Procedure (LOEP) is an approach intended to strengthen skeletal areas that are at the highest risk for fracture due to osteoporosis. LOEP involves the implantation of AGN1, a triphasic, calcium-based, osteoconductive material which is then resorbed and replaced by bone. Since alendronate is the most prescribed osteoporotic treatment, the purpose of this canine study is to determine if the newly formed bone has the same properties as normal bone and whether alendronate treatment impacts AGN1 resorption and replacement with bone.
Methods: Sixty skeletally mature male hounds (24–38 kg) were evenly divided between alendronate (0.2 mg/kg/day) and non-alendronate treatment groups. A critical-size core bone defect created in one proximal humerus was implanted with AGN1 while the contralateral non-operated humerus served as a paired control in each animal. Animals were sacrificed 13, 26, and 52 weeks post-operatively (10 per treatment per timepoint). The control and treatment site bone specimens from each animal were examined using radiographic, histomorphometric, and biomechanical techniques. Results between alendronate-treated and non-alendronate-treated animals were compared as groups.
Results: AGN1 implant material was consistently resorbed and replaced by bone in all animals. At 52 weeks, only minimal residual implant material could be detected (0.9 ± 2.3% non-alendronate group; 2.2 ± 3.1% alendronate group), and new bone filled the defects in both the non-alendronate and alendronate groups. At 13 and 26 weeks, microCT revealed the newly formed bone in the defects had significantly higher trabecular bone volume and number connectivity than control bone in both groups. Mechanical testing demonstrated that the new bone had ultimate compressive strength and modulus equivalent to control bone as early as 13 weeks post-surgery which was maintained to 52 weeks in both groups.
Conclusions: In this canine critical-sized humeral core defect model, AGN1 was progressively replaced by normal bone as evaluated by all outcome measures. Concurrent alendronate therapy did not significantly impact AGN1 resorption or new bone formation. These results demonstrate that AGN1 can be used in conjunction with alendronate in non-osteoporotic animals.
Clinical relevance: This study suggests that the AGN1 implant material demonstrates potential for local restoration of bone in critical-size core defects, and that the material is compatible with alendronate drug therapy. Further studies will be required to determine if these results apply to other osteoporosis medications.