The effect of zoledronic acid on the intrinsic material properties of healing bone: An indentation study

Amanat, Negin; He, Li Hong; Swain, Michael V.; Little, David G.

doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2007.09.008

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Volume 30, Issue 7 , Pages 843-847, September 2008

The effect of zoledronic acid on the intrinsic material properties of healing bone: An indentation study

Negin Amanat
- Orthopaedic Research and Biotechnology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Australia
- Corresponding author at: Research Building, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 98451451; fax: +61 2 98453078.
Li Hong He
- Biomaterials Science Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Australia
Michael V. Swain
- Biomaterials Science Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Australia
David G. Little
- Orthopaedic Research and Biotechnology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia

Received 18 July 2007; received in revised form 28 August 2007; accepted 27 September 2007. published online 16 November 2007.

Abstract

Background

Bisphosphonates are commonly used for the treatment of osteoporosis and have recently been shown to increase bone mineral parameters and strength in endochondral fracture repair. There is concern, however, that BPs may negatively affect bone material properties.

Methods

Nanoindentation was performed on femoral fracture samples of rats that had undergone closed fracture healing for six weeks to determine hardness and elastic modulus. The rats had received either intravenous saline or a single intravenous dose of zoledronic acid at zero, one or two weeks post fracture (n=3 per group).

Findings

The mean elastic modulus and hardness of mineralised tissue in control calluses were mean 16.4GPa (S.D. 2.3) and mean 0.65GPa (S.D. 0.1), respectively. There was no significant change in these parameters with zoledronic acid treatment.

Interpretation

The results from this preliminary data suggest that single dose zoledronic acid treatment in fracture healing may not adversely affect the intrinsic properties of callus bone tissue. Single dose bisphosphonate may be a viable treatment for augmenting fracture repair without negatively affecting the material properties.

Keywords: Bisphosphonate, Fracture healing, Intrinsic properties, Microindentation