A separate randomized study of 75 women starting raloxifene treatment for low bone density randomized them to no monitoring; nurse visits at months 3, 6, and 9; or nurse visits plus bone turnover marker measurements. The nurse visits improved adherence to therapy compared with no monitoring, but biomarker measurements did not add anything to the nurse visits (J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2004;89:1117-1123).
In general, approximately 30%-40% of patients stop taking antiresorptive drugs within 1 year, he said.
Dr. Bauer said he has received research funding from Amgen, Novartis, and Proctor and Gamble.