Table 2.

Response to bisphosphonate therapy in 23 children with SCD bone morbidity

	n (SD or %)
Average age at initiation (n = 23), years (SD)	13.9 (3.3)
Average age at completion (n = 15), years (SD)*	15.3 (3.4)
Duration of bisphosphonate therapy (years, n = 15)	1.5 (0.8)
Bisphosphonate type (n = 23), n (%)  Zoledronic acid  Pamidronate  Serial administration of pamidronate then zoledronic acidǂ	15 (65%) 7 (30%) 1 (4%)
Pain improvement (n = 10), n (%)  Complete resolution  Significant improvement but not complete resolution	4 (40%) 6 (60%)
Side effects (n = 23), n (%)  Acute phase reaction  Hypocalcemia	5 (22%) 4 (17%) 1 (4%)
LS aBMD, height-adjusted (n = 14)  Pre-bisphosphonate therapy Z-score, mean (SD)  Post-bisphosphonate therapy Z-score, mean (SD)  Change in Z-score, mean (SD)  Change in Z-score/years of bisphosphonate therapy, mean (SD)	− 1.2 (1.8)  − 0.9 (1.8)  + 0.4 (0.5)  + 0.3 (0.5)
TBLH aBMD, height-adjusted (n = 14)  Pre-bisphosphonate therapy Z-score, mean (SD)  Post-bisphosphonate therapy Z-score, mean (SD)  Change in Z-score, mean (SD)  Change in Z-score/years of bisphosphonate therapy, mean (SD)	− 2.4 (1.6)  − 1.9 (1.6)  + 0.4 (0.6)  + 0.3 (0.5)

^*Bisphosphonate therapy was ongoing in eight children at time of publication

^ǂSerial administration to reduce acute phase reaction with the first infusion, as per that center’s protocol

Abbreviations: LS, lumbar spine; TBLH, total body less head; aBMD, areal bone mineral density; SD, standard deviation; IQR, interquartile range