Treatment preference for monthly oral ibandronate and weekly oral alendronate in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: A randomized, crossover study (BALTO II)

Objectives: Patient preference strongly influences long-term medication use in chronic diseases such as postmenopausal osteoporosis. Methods: This 6-month, open-label, crossover, international study randomized 350 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis to monthly oral ibandronate 150 mg for 3 months followed by weekly alendronate 70 mg for 12 weeks, or vice versa. Results: Of patients expressing a preference (93.1%), more preferred the monthly ibandronate regimen (70.6%) than the weekly alendronate regimen (29.4%). The monthly ibandronate preference rate was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). The most common reasons for ibandronate preference were ease of staying on treatment long-term (81.5%) and better lifestyle fit (75.4%). More women found the monthly ibandronate regimen more convenient (76.6%) than the weekly alendronate regimen (23.4%). The monthly ibandronate convenience rate was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). The safety profiles of the two regimens were similar. Conclusion: The strong patient preference for monthly ibandronate over weekly alendronate replicates previous study findings and may lead to improved treatment adherence in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.