1. Principal study characteristics.
| Study ID | Intervention | Comparator | Alkaline phosphatase | Follow‐up | N | Age | Male | Symptomatic | Previously treated |
| Altman 1973 | Etidronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m | 50 | 67 y | 60% | NA | NA |
| Canfield 1977 | Etidronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m | 48 | NA | 58% | NA | NA |
| Ralston 1987 | Etidronate | Placebo | No | 3 m | 32 | NA | NA | 100% | 38% |
| Fraser 1997 | Tiludronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m (18 m) | 112 | 70 y | 54% | 63% | NA |
| McClung 1995 | Tiludronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m | 139 | 70 y | 54% | NA | NA |
| Reginster 1992 | Tiludronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m | 149 | 69 y | 54% | NA | 82% |
| O'Doherty 1992 | Alendronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m | 15 | 67 y | 60% | 87% | 66% |
| Reid 1996 | Alendronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m | 55 | 70 y | 56% | NA | 35% |
| Buckler 1999 | Zoledronate | Placebo | Yes | 3 m | 176 | 71 y | 61% | NA | NA |
| Reid 2004 | Ibandronate | Placebo | Yes | 6 m (12 m) | 25 | 73 y | 74% | NA | 64% |
| Roux 1995 | Tiludronate | Etidronate | Yes | 6m | 234 | 69y | 59% | 74% | 71% |
| Siris 1996 | Alendronate | Etidronate | Yes | 6m | 89 | 69y | 67% | NA | 25% |
| Miller 1999 | Risedronate | Etidronate | Yes | 12 m (18 m) | 123 | 66 y | 69% | 91% | 72% |
| Walsh 2004 | Alendronate | Pamidronate | Yes | 12 m (24 m) | 72 | 70 y | 58% | 94% | 39% |
| Barreira 2009 | Olpadronate | Pamidronate | Yes | 6 m | 27 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Merlotti 2007 | Zoledronate | Pamidronate | Yes | 6 m | 90 | 70 y | 69% | 99% | 67% |
| Reid 2005 | Zoledronate | Risedronate | Yes | 6 m (6.5 y) | 357 | 70 y | 68% | NA | 54% |
| O'Donoghue 1987 | Etidronate + calcitonin |
Etidronate | Yes | 12 m | 44 | NA | NA | 100% | 10% |
| Langston 2010 | Intensive | Symptomatic | No | 3 y | 1331 | 74 y | 51% | 69% | NA |
| Tan 2017 | Intensive | Symptomatic | No | 3 y | 502 | 76 y | 55% | 63% | 70% |
Alkaline phosphatase: Serum total alkaline phosphatase above the upper limit of normal as an inclusion criterion. Follow‐up: Extended follow‐up periods are shown in parentheses. N: Number of randomised participants. NA: Not available. SC: Sample size calculated before study.