Adjunctive recombinant human parathyroid hormone agents for the treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: a report of three cases

J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2024 Apr 30;50(2):103-109. doi: 10.5125/jkaoms.2024.50.2.103.

Abstract

Teriparatide has been effective in treating people diagnosed with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). However, its efficacy is not well established to be accepted as a standard of care. The objective of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of recombinant human parathyroid hormone for the treatment of MRONJ. We report three cases of MRONJ patients with osteoporosis as the primary disease who were treated with a teriparatide agent along with other adjunctive measures. Each patient was administered a teriparatide injection subcutaneously for 16 weeks, 36 weeks, or 60 weeks. Surgical intervention including partial resection, sequestrectomy, decortication, and saucerization took place during the teriparatide administration. Complete lesion resolution was identified clinically and radiographically in all three patients. In patients diagnosed with MRONJ, teriparatide therapy is an efficacious and safe therapeutic option to improve healing of bone lesions. These findings demonstrate that teriparatide in combination with another therapy, especially bone morphogenetic protein, platelet-rich fibrin, or antibiotic therapy, can be an effective protocol for MRONJ.

Keywords: Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw; Forteo; Human parathyroid hormone (1-34); Osteoporosis; Teriparatide.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

Grants and funding

Funding This research was supported by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI22C1377).