Publications by authors named "Sabashini K Ramchand"

Aging of the general population has led to a substantial increase in the prevalence of osteoporosis over the past decades. While there are effective pharmacological agents that increase bone formation, decrease bone resorption, and decrease fracture risk, they do not uniformly cure osteoporosis. This has prompted investigations to examine whether combination therapy (COMBO) with these agents can result in an additive benefit.

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Purpose: Suppression of ovarian function and aromatase inhibition (AI) increases disease-free survival in premenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive early-stage breast cancer but accelerates bone loss. We therefore hypothesized that suppressing bone remodeling using denosumab (DMAB) would prevent bone loss in these women.

Methods: In a 12-month double-blind randomized trial, 68 women with ER-positive early-stage breast cancer commencing ovarian function suppression and AI were randomly assigned to 60 mg DMAB (n = 34) or placebo (PBO; n = 34) once every 6 months (at 0 and 6 months).

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Context: Menopause is associated with changes in musculoskeletal, body composition, and metabolic parameters that may be amplified in premenopausal women receiving estradiol suppression for breast cancer. Denosumab offsets deleterious skeletal effects of estradiol suppression and has been reported to have effects on body composition and metabolic parameters in preclinical and observational studies, but evidence from double-blind randomized controlled trials is limited.

Objective: To assess the effect of denosumab on body composition and metabolic parameters.

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Unlabelled: Denosumab discontinuation results in accelerated bone remodeling, decreased bone mineral density (BMD), and an increased risk of multiple vertebral fractures. Bisphosphonates are at least partially effective at inhibiting these consequences but there have been no randomized clinical trials assessing the efficacy of alternative antiresorptives.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative efficacy of alendronate and the SERM, raloxifene, in preventing the post-denosumab high-turnover bone loss.

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Osteoporosis is a chronic condition characterized by decreased bone mass, loss of skeletal integrity, and increased susceptibility to fracture. Drugs used to treat osteoporosis can be classified as those that block bone resorption (antiresorptive), stimulate bone formation (anabolic), or do both. While all currently approved medications reduce the risk of fragility fractures in high-risk populations, they are generally unable to fully restore bone strength in most patients with established disease.

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Introduction: A coronary artery calcium (CAC) CT scan can identify calcified plaque and predict risk of future cardiac events. Cancer survivors undergoing thoracic radiotherapy routinely undergo a planning CT scan, which presents a unique opportunity to use already obtained medical imaging to identify those at the highest risk of cardiac events. While radiation therapy is an important modality for many cancer treatments, radiation dose to the heart in thoracic radiotherapy leads to cardiotoxicity and may accelerate pre-existing atherosclerosis.

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The combination of denosumab and teriparatide is an effective treatment strategy in postmenopausal osteoporosis, though skeletal gains are promptly lost when these agents are discontinued. In the DATA-HD study, we reported that a single dose of zoledronic acid (ZOL) maintains the increases in areal spine and hip bone mineral density (BMD) achieved with this combination for at least 12 months. The capacity of ZOL to maintain corresponding improvements in peripheral volumetric BMD and microarchitecture, however, has not been reported.

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Article Synopsis
  • The objective of the study was to create clinical recommendations for diagnosing and managing primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in adults, based on evidence and expert consensus from Australia and New Zealand.
  • The results emphasize the importance of measuring serum calcium and other related markers in patients with symptoms, reduced bone mineral density, or kidney stones, with parathyroidectomy being the only definitive treatment recommended for symptomatic cases.
  • The conclusions aim to enhance clinical practice guidelines for PHPT management, ultimately improving health outcomes and reducing costs for the community.
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Objective: To develop evidence-based recommendations to guide the surgical management and postoperative follow-up of adults with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Methods: Representatives from relevant Australian and New Zealand Societies used a systematic approach for adaptation of guidelines (ADAPTE) to derive an evidence-informed position statement addressing eight key questions.

Results: Diagnostic imaging does not determine suitability for surgery but can guide the planning of surgery in suitable candidates.

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Combined teriparatide and denosumab rapidly and substantially increases bone mineral density (BMD) at all anatomic sites. Discontinuation of denosumab however, results in high-turnover bone loss and increased fracture risk. The optimal way to prevent this bone loss remains undefined.

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In postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture, we previously reported that combined denosumab and high-dose (HD; 40 μg) teriparatide increased spine and hip bone mineral density (BMD) more than combination with standard-dose teriparatide (SD; 20 μg). To assess the effects of these combinations on bone microarchitecture and estimated bone strength, we performed high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) at the distal radius and distal tibia in these women, who were randomized to receive either teriparatide 20 μg (n = 39) or 40 μg (n = 37) during months 0 to 9 overlapped with denosumab 60 mg s.c.

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Bone loss during advancing age is the net result of reduced modeling-based bone formation upon the outer (periosteal) envelope and unbalanced remodeling by basic multicellular units (BMUs) upon the three (intracortical, endocortical, and trabecular) components of the inner (endosteal) bone envelope. Each BMU deposits less bone than resorbed, reducing total bone volume and deteriorating the microstructure of the diminished residual bone volume.Antiresorptive agents like bisphosphonates reduce, but do not abolish, the rate of bone remodeling - fewer BMUs remodel, "turn over," the volume of bone.

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Context: In the Denosumab and High-Dose Teriparatide Administration (DATA-HD) study, we reported that 15 months of combined high-dose (HD) teriparatide and denosumab increased mean areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the hip and spine more than combined denosumab and standard-dose (SD) teriparatide.

Objective: In the current analysis, we compare the individual rates of aBMD response between the treatment groups.

Design: Single-site, open-label, randomized controlled trial in which postmenopausal women received either teriparatide 20-μg daily (SD) or 40-μg daily (HD) given months 0 through 9, overlapped with denosumab 60 mg, given months 3 through 15 (15 months' total duration).

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Introduction: Representatives appointed by relevant Australian medical societies used a systematic approach for adaptation of guidelines (ADAPTE) to formulate clinical consensus recommendations on assessment and management of bone health in women with oestrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy. The current evidence suggests that women receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitors and pre-menopausal woman treated with tamoxifen have accelerated bone loss and that women receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitors have increased fracture risk. Both bisphosphonates and denosumab prevent bone loss; additionally, denosumab has proven anti-fracture benefit in post-menopausal women receiving aromatase inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

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Estrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer is common and has a relatively good prognosis. It shares risk factors with cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease is an important competing cause of mortality. Adjuvant endocrine therapy with aromatase inhibitors (requiring concomitant ovarian suppression in premenopausal women) or selective estrogen receptor modulators (usually tamoxifen) exert oncologic benefits by respectively inhibiting estradiol synthesis or breast estrogen receptor signaling.

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In women with oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive early breast cancer, oestradiol is important for breast cancer development and progression. Endocrine therapy prevents the deleterious effects of oestradiol in breast tissue by systemically depleting oestradiol concentration (aromatase inhibitors) or preventing its local action in breast tissue (selective oestrogen receptor modulators i.e.

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The prevalence of fragility fractures increases as longevity increases the proportion of the elderly in the community. Until recently, the majority of studies have targeted women with osteoporosis defined as a bone mineral density (BMD) T score of < -2.5 SD, despite evidence that the population burden of fractures arises from women with osteopenia.

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Purpose Of Review: Bone densitometry provides a two-dimensional projected areal apparent bone mineral density that fails to capture the heterogeneity of bone's material composition and macro-, micro-, and nano-structures critical to its material and structural strength. Assessment of the structural basis of bone fragility has focused largely on trabecular bone based on the common occurrence of fragility fractures at sites with substantial amounts of trabecular bone. This review focuses on the contribution of cortical bone to bone fragility throughout life.

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To formulate clinical consensus recommendations on bone health assessment and management of women with oestrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy, representatives appointed by relevant Australian Medical Societies used a systematic approach for adaptation of guidelines (ADAPTE) to derive an evidence-informed position statement addressing 5 key questions. Women receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitors and the subset of premenopausal woman treated with tamoxifen have accelerated bone loss and increased fracture risk. Both bisphosphonates and denosumab prevent bone loss; additionally, denosumab has proven antifracture benefit.

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Background: In premenopausal women with early estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, combined ovarian suppression and aromatase inhibition reduce estradiol production precipitously. The resulting unbalanced and rapid bone remodelling replaces older bone with less bone that is less fully mineralized. We hypothesized that these changes result in severe microstructural deterioration and reduced matrix mineralization density.

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It is unknown if high prolactin levels during pregnancy contribute to the development of gestational diabetes. We hypothesized that higher prolactin levels are associated with reduced glucose tolerance, as determined by higher 2-h glucose level from an oral glucose tolerance test in pregnancy. The 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was carried out at 28 weeks of gestation in 69 participants.

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