Value of routine monitoring of bone mineral density after starting bisphosphonate treatment: secondary analysis of trial data.

Abstract

To assess the value of monitoring response to bisphosphonate treatment by means of measuring bone mineral density. In this paper we investigate the effects of alendronate on bone density at the individual level. We compare the variability of bone density for patients receiving placebo with that for patients taking treatment, using mixed models12 to make inferences about whether the effect of treatment varies among individuals or is uniform. Between-person (treatment related) variation and within-person (measurement related) variation in hip and spine bone mineral density.