According to a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, two common diabetes drugs, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone (thiazolidinediones), are linked to higher bone fracture rates in women. The researchers looked at trials of at least one year's duration involving 13,715 diabetes patients taking the medications and those not taking the the drugs. They found significantly reduced bone density in the lumbar spine and at the hip in women on the drugs.

The studies found long-term thiazolidinedione use doubles the risk of fractures among women with type 2 diabetes, without a significant increase in fracture risk in men. The researchers estimate a fracture would occur in 1 out of 21 women at high risk of fracture who are taking thiazolidinedione for one year. Among low risk women, there would be 1 fracture in every 55 if these drugs are taken for more than a year.
 
Further investigation is needed to examine the underlying causes of this apparent sex-specific effect.

This article originally appeared in the January 2009 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Electronic Newsletter.