Table 1.
Characteristics of Bisphosphonate Users and Non-Users
| Variable | Patients who ever used bisphosphonates (n = 5891) |
Patients who never used bisphosphonates (n = 13,390) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean ± SD | 67.6 ± 11.1 | 59.5 ± 13.4 |
| Male sex (%) | 13.2 | 24.8 |
| Education (years) | ||
| 0–8 (%) | 2.6 | 2.5 |
| 8–11 (%) | 7.8 | 6.7 |
| 12 (%) | 37.7 | 32.7 |
| 13–15 (%) | 25.5 | 28.8 |
| ≥16 (%) | 26.5 | 29.3 |
| Median household income ($1000 s) | 35.0 | 45.0 |
| Smoking category | ||
| Never (%) | 57.2 | 52.4 |
| Past (%) | 32.0 | 33.1 |
| Current (%) | 10.8 | 14.5 |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD | 26.5 ± 5.6 | 28.9 ± 6.5 |
| Hospitalized (%) | 14.2 | 11.2 |
| Fracture during study (%) | 26.9 | 11.7 |
| Comorbidity index (0–9), mean ± SD | 1.9 ± 1.6 | 1.8 ± 1.6 |
| Diabetic (%) | 10.1 | 12.5 |
| Hypertension now (%) | 38.2 | 35.8 |
| Physical component score (SF-36), mean ± SDa | 35.3 ± 10.9 | 36.8 ± 11.3 |
| Mean HAQ (0–3)b | 1.2 ± 0.7 | 1.0 ± 0.7 |
| Prednisone (%) | 43.1 | 28.5 |
| Opioids (%) | 26.8 | 23.8 |
| Ever on vitamin D during observation (%) | 63.4 | 32.6 |
| Ever on calcium during observation (%) | 78.8 | 42.4 |
| Statins (%) | 18.3 | 23.9 |
| Antihypertensives (%) | 48.7 | 42.6 |