Orthopaedics

Denosumab May Help Prevent Revision Procedures Following Hip Replacement: Study

• byDoctor News Daily Team
• 18 February, 2025
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In a recent study, the researchers investigated the effect of the human monoclonal antibody denosumab on osteolytic lesion activity in patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty surgery to show the biological proof of concept for a non-surgical treatment for the disease. The recent findings have been published in Rheumatology.
For the study design, a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof of concept superiority trial at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK. Eligible patients aged 30 years or older and scheduled for revision surgery for symptomatic, radiographically confirmed osteolysis were randomly allocated (1:1) to subcutaneous denosumab (60 mg single-dose) or placebo by an independent pharmacist using a random number table. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in osteoclast number per mm of bone surface of biopsies taken from the osteolytic membrane–bone interface at surgery 8 weeks later, measured by quantitative histomorphometry in all patients who underwent revision surgery. Adverse events were analysed in all randomly assigned participants.
Data analysis revealed the following facts.
Between Dec 12, 2012, and June 24, 2018, 51 patients were assessed for eligibility, of whom 24 were randomly assigned to study treatment.
Two patients had their revision surgery cancelled for unrelated reasons, leaving 22 patients (ten in the denosumab group) for analysis of the primary outcome.
There were 83% fewer osteoclasts at the osteolysis membrane–bone interface in the denosumab versus the placebo group (median 0·05 per mm [IQR 0·11] vs 0·30 mm [0·40], p=0·011).
No deaths or treatment-related serious adverse events occurred. Seven adverse events, including one severe adverse event, occurred in four (36%) of 11 patients in the denosumab group.
In the placebo group ten adverse events, including three severe adverse events, occurred in five (38%) of 13 patients.
"This is the first clinical trial of an investigational drug for osteolysis that shows tissue-specific biological efficacy. These results justify the need for future trials that target earlier-stage disease to test for clinical efficacy in reducing the need for revision surgery."wrote the team.
For the full article follow the link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30394-5
Primary source: Rheumatology