Table 4.

Osteoporosis prevention studies of bisphosphonates:

Bisphosphonate	Study duration	Sample size	Outcome of the study
Alendronate 2.5/5 mg (41)	6 years	585 women 6 years post-menopausal	Increase in lumbar spine BMD by 1.5% (2.5 mg)-2.4 % (5 mg) compared to −3.2% on placebo.
Alendronate 5 mg (30)	5 years	447 women 3 years post-menopausal	Increase in spine BMD by 2.5% and after treatment is discontinued BMD declined by 1.8 to 5.7% at various sites.
Risedronate 2.5 mg and 5 mg (42,43)	2 years	383 Post-menopausal women within 3-4 years menopause	Increase in spine BMD by 4.5 % and hip BMD by 3.3% compared to placebo
Ibandronate 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2.5 mg (44)	2 years	653 women 8-9 years post-menopausal	Dose related increase in spine BMD was noted. 1.9 % increase in spine BMD (2.5 mg) compared to baseline.
Ibandronate 20 mg/week (45)	2 years	630 post-menopausal women	Increase in spine BMD by 4.0 % and hip BMD by 2.7 % compared to that of placebo
Zolendronate 5 mg (46)	1,2 years	581 osteopenic women >45 years	Increase in spine BMD by 5.2 % at end of first year and 4.4 % at second compared to decline in BMD by 1.3% with placebo