Comparing Clinical Outcomes Following Percutaneous Vertebroplasty with Conservative Therapy for Acute Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures

Objective. To compare the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) with conservative therapy for patients with acute vertebral compression fractures. Design. Prospective, nonrandomized, comparison study. Background. The efficacy of PV has not been well established because there have been few comparative studies with conservatively treated control groups. Patients and Methods. Fifty-five consecutive patients (8 men and 47 women, age 47-94) with osteoporosis and symptomatic acute vertebral compression fractures were enrolled. Thirty-two patients received PV, whereas 23 received conservative therapy. Outcome Measures. Changes in pain intensity, physical functioning, and pain medication requirement were evaluated. Results. Both PV and conservative therapy provided pain reduction (P < 0.001), improvements in physical functioning (P < 0.001), and decreased medication (P < 0.001). Reductions in visual analogue pain scores were more significant in the vertebroplasty group at 1 (P < 0.001) and 4 weeks (P < 0.001) but not at 12 months. Improvements in physical functioning were significant at 1 (P < 0.001) and 4 weeks (P < 0.001). Medication requirements were lower in the vertebroplasty group at all three time points. Conclusions. Pain relief, physical functioning improvement, and medication requirement after vertebroplasty are immediately and significantly better when compared with conservative therapy.