Clarke, B.L.

ABSTRACT Osteoporosis is a chronic condition that reflects reduced bone strength and an associated increased risk for fracture. As a chronic condition, osteoporosis generally requires sustained medical intervention(s) to limit the risks for additional bone loss, compromise of skeletal integrity, and fracture occurrence. Further complicating this issue is the fact that the abrupt cessation of some therapies can be associated with an increased risk for harm. It is in this context that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruption to the provision of health care globally, including near universal requirements for social distancing. In this Perspective, we provide evidence, where available, regarding the general care of patients with osteoporosis in the COVID-19 era and provide clinical recommendations based primarily on expert opinion when data are absent. Particular emphasis is placed on the transition from parenteral osteoporosis therapies. It is hoped that these recommendations can be used to safely guide care for patients with osteoporosis until a return to routine clinical care standards is available. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Abstract PARADIGHM is an actively recruiting, prospective, observational registry (NCT01922440/EUPAS16927). The primary objective is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of recombinant human parathyroid hormone, rhPTH(1-84), treatment in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) under routine clinical care. The secondary objective is to characterize the clinical course of chronic HypoPT under conditions of routine clinical practice. At enrollment, registry inclusion criteria are patients having a HypoPT diagnosis >6 months and receiving conventional therapy (CT; eg, calcium supplements and active vitamin D), rhPTH(1-84) plus CT, or rhPTH(1-84). We present baseline characteristics of patients as of a June 30 2019 data cut. Baseline was defined as the value entered at the time of enrollment (Visit 1). Baseline symptom data exclude patients who initiated rhPTH(1-84) prior to enrollment (n=68) and are herein presented as two groups: those subsequently prescribed with rhPTH(1-84) after enrollment or those treated with CT. All data are summarized descriptively. Patient data from 64 centers in Europe and North America were analyzed. In the analysis population (n=737), 587 patients (79.6%) were female, 620 (84.1%) were white, and the mean (SD) age was 49.1 (16.45) years. The mean (SD) BMI was 19.3 (5.73) kg/m2 and 30.0 (7.72) kg/m2 in patients aged <18 (n=25) and ≥18 (n=587) years, respectively. The primary cause of HypoPT was thyroid surgery (n=547 [74.2%]; of these, 281 [60.0%] underwent surgery for thyroid cancer). Endocrinologists were the prescribing specialists for most patients (n=660 [89.6%]). Vitamin D and analogs were prescribed for 90.1% of patients (calcitriol, 74.2%, native vitamin D, 47.4%, alfacalcidol, 7.9%,), calcium for 81.0% (calcium carbonate, 57.9%, calcium citrate, 27.1%), and thyroid hormones for 71.2% (levothyroxine, 73.4%; liothyronine, 5.8%). Symptoms reported at enrollment for the rhPTH(1-84) (n=66) and the CT groups (n=603), respectively, included fatigue (53.0%, 39.3%), paresthesia (48.5%, 29.2%), muscle twitching (48.5%, 21.1%), muscle cramping (40.9%, 33.0%), headaches (33.3%, 17.6%), anxiety (28.8%, 20.1%), muscle pain (28.8%, 19.2%), tetany (28.8%, 12.1%), and brain fog (27.3%, 16.3%). The baseline data for the overall population appear to be representative of patients with chronic HypoPT. Baseline data suggest that at enrollment patients prescribed rhPTH(1-84) after enrollment appear to have an increased burden of disease than patients receiving CT based on symptoms. PARADIGHM will be a valuable resource of real-world longitudinal data for patients with chronic HypoPT.

Abstract Background: Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by end-organ resistance to PTH. Most subtypes are caused by pathogenic variants or epigenetic alterations in GNAS, which encodes the alpha subunit of the G protein regulating end-organ response to PTH. PHP type 1B (PHP1B) is caused by methylation defects in GNAS and presents with isolated renal PTH resistance. Clinical Case: A 29-year-old gentleman presented with intermittent muscle spasms, perioral and digital paresthesias, fatigue, and anxiety. Family history was notable for similar symptoms in his sister and nephew. Physical examination revealed normal stature, non-dysmorphic facies, and no soft tissue ossifications or skeletal anomalies. Chvostek sign was positive. Laboratory studies showed total calcium 6.0 mg/dL (n 8.6–10.0 mg/dL), phosphorus 6.8 mg/dL (n 2.5–3.5 mg/dL), creatinine 0.8 mg/dL (n 0.8–1.3 mg/dL), albumin 5.0 (n 3.5–5.0 mg/dL), PTH 231 pg/mL (n 15–65 pg/mL), total 25-hydroxyvitamin D 19 mg/mL (n 20–50 ng/mL), and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 45 pg/mL (n 18–64 pg/mL). Additional endocrine testing showed TSH 6.4 mIU/L (n 0.3–4.2 mIU/L), free T4 1.1 ng/dL (n 0.9–1.7 ng/dL), and TPO antibody <0.3 IU/mL (n <9.0 IU/mL). Renal ultrasound was normal. CT head showed diffuse intracranial calcifications. He was diagnosed with PHP1B and started on calcitriol, cholecalciferol, and calcium carbonate. He declined genetic testing. Repeat laboratory studies were improved with total calcium 8.5 mg/dL, phosphorus 3.9 mg/dL, total 25-hydroxyvitamin D 49 mg/mL, PTH 124 pg/mL, and 24-hour urinary calcium 269 mg (n <250 mg). Conclusion: International consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and management of PHP and related disorders were recently published by Mantovani et al. in 2018. Proposed clinical and biochemical major criteria include PTH resistance, ectopic ossifications, early-onset obesity, TSH resistance, and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO; round facies, short stature, brachydactyly, developmental delay). Unlike PHP type 1A, PHP1B often presents later in life and features of AHO are usually absent, so diagnosis requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. It is recommended that patients with suspected PHP have molecular confirmation with sequencing, methylation, and/or copy number variant analysis of GNAS. Routine monitoring of calcium, phosphorus, and PTH levels and treatment with active vitamin D analogues with or without calcium supplements are advised to maintain normal calcium and phosphorus and PTH <2 times the upper limit of normal. Other recommendations include renal imaging for nephrocalcinosis, eye exam for cataracts, CT head imaging (in patients with neurological findings) for calcifications, regular dental care, and management of comorbid endocrinopathies. A multidisciplinary approach is needed in this complex, heterogeneous group of disorders.

Abstract Background: Hypoparathyroidism (HP) is caused by a deficiency in parathyroid hormone (PTH), which leads to hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. Standard of care (SoC), i.e. large doses of calcium (Ca) and active vitamin D, worsens hypercalciuria and increases the serum Ca (sCa) x serum phosphate (sP) product. Studies have shown that continuous subcutaneous infusion of PTH(1-34) normalizes sCa, sP, serum magnesium, urine Ca (uCa) and bone turnover better than SoC or once- or twice-daily injections of PTH in HP patients. TransCon PTH, an investigational long-acting prodrug of PTH (1-34) transiently bound to an inert carrier via a linker, is under development as a potential once-daily replacement therapy for HP. Under physiological conditions, linker auto-cleavage occurs, releasing active PTH at a controlled rate with ~60 hour half-life. Phase 1 trial results demonstrated that once-daily TransCon PTH provided a flat, infusion like profile within the normal range of PTH 24 hours per day, increasing sCa while controlling uCa and decreasing sP, with no evidence of bone anabolic activity. Phase 2 Design: PaTH Forward is a global phase 2 trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of TransCon PTH in adult subjects with HP. Patients with HP treated with SoC were randomized at sites worldwide to daily TransCon PTH 15, 18 or 21 µg PTH(1-34) or daily blinded placebo via pen-injector for 4 weeks. The primary composite endpoint requires 1) normal albumin-adjusted sCa, and 2) normal Fractional Excretion of Ca (or ≥50% decrease from baseline), and 3) not taking active D, and 4) taking ≤1000 mg/d of Ca. After four weeks, all subjects enter an open-label extension period with the opportunity to receive TransCon PTH individually optimized to doses of 6 to 30 µg daily to evaluate long-term safety and efficacy. Other endpoints include the impact of treatment on patient experience, CaxP product, bone turnover markers, and bone mass by DXA and TBS to confirm the lack of anabolic effect. Preliminary Results: Approximately 55 subjects are expected to be randomized and dosed. Preliminary diary data on the initial 8 subjects completing 4 weeks of follow-up in the extension trial shows that all have discontinued SoC. Additional information will be presented at ENDO 2020. The Phase 2 trial is designed to inform the starting dose for a global pivotal phase 3 trial and evaluate TransCon PTH as a “true” PTH replacement therapy.

Abstract Context: The majority of patients with hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) are women. It is not known whether the presence of hypoparathyroidism influences the pregnancy outcomes. Sweden has excellent conditions for research in this area, with high-quality population-based registers covering essentially all inpatient care and birth records. In this study, data were linked from the Swedish National Patient Register and Swedish Medical Birth Register to examine the potential influence of maternal hypoPT on the number of childbirths and various pregnancy outcomes. Design and Setting: Population-based cohort study in Sweden. Patients: Through the Swedish National Patient Register and the Total Population Register, we identified 1267 women with HypoPT and 12 670 age-matched controls who gave birth between 1997 and 2016. Results: There was no significant difference in mean age at delivery for women with HypoPT (32 (SD, 5.2)) years and controls (32.5 (5.0)). There were significantly more women with HypoPT who smoked at baseline (p= 0.007) and within 3 months of pregnancy (p=0.022) compared to controls. Significantly more women with HypoPT had part time work or were not working during pregnancy compared to controls (p = 0.002). The mean number of infants per woman was 0.30 (SD, 0.62) in the HypoPT group and 0.33 (SD, 0.60) in the control group (p=0.644). Compared with the control group, the risk of elective cesarean section was higher in the HypoPT group (p=0.002). However, there was no difference in the proportion of women undergoing an acute cesarean section between cases and controls (p=0.754). The mean pregnancy duration in women with HypoPT was 38.87 (2.11) weeks compared to 39.23 (2.04) weeks for the controls (p= 0.001). Infants born to mothers with HypoPT were significantly shorter (p=0.016), but no difference was seen in weight or head circumference compared to infants born to controls. No difference was observed in prevalence of small- or large-for gestational age compared to controls. There were no differences between groups with respect to infant sex or Apgar scores at 1, 5 and 10 min, congenital malformations or stillbirth. There was furthermore no difference in pain medication use by mothers during delivery between the groups (p=0,733). Conclusion: The majority of women with HypoPT had normal pregnancy outcomes, and the overall risks must be considered to be low. Still, our findings are of importance for antenatal counseling in women with HypoPT as their risk for elective cesarean section was significantly higher compared with controls. Their children were shorter and the higher rate of smoking among HypoPT women may be an additional risk factor.

Abstract Osteoporosis-related fractures are undertreated, due in part to misinformation about recommended approaches to patient care and discrepancies among treatment guidelines. To help bridge this gap and improve patient outcomes, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research assembled a multistakeholder coalition to develop clinical recommendations for the optimal prevention of secondary fractureamong people aged 65 years and older with a hip or vertebral fracture. The coalition developed 13 recommendations (7 primary and 6 secondary) strongly supported by the empirical literature. The coalition recommends increased communication with patients regarding fracture risk, mortality and morbidity outcomes, and fracture risk reduction. Risk assessment (including fall history) should occur at regular intervals with referral to physical and/or occupational therapy as appropriate. Oral, intravenous, andsubcutaneous pharmacotherapies are efficaciousandcanreduce risk of future fracture.Patientsneededucation,however, about thebenefitsandrisks of both treatment and not receiving treatment. Oral bisphosphonates alendronate and risedronate are first-line options and are generally well tolerated; otherwise, intravenous zoledronic acid and subcutaneous denosumab can be considered. Anabolic agents are expensive butmay be beneficial for selected patients at high risk.Optimal duration of pharmacotherapy is unknown but because the risk for second fractures is highest in the earlypost-fractureperiod,prompt treatment is recommended.Adequate dietary or supplemental vitaminDand calciumintake shouldbe assured. Individuals beingtreatedfor osteoporosis shouldbe reevaluated for fracture risk routinely, includingvia patienteducationabout osteoporosisandfracturesandmonitoringfor adverse treatment effects.Patients shouldbestronglyencouraged to avoid tobacco, consume alcohol inmoderation atmost, and engage in regular exercise and fall prevention strategies. Finally, referral to endocrinologists or other osteoporosis specialists may be warranted for individuals who experience repeated fracture or bone loss and those with complicating comorbidities (eg, hyperparathyroidism, chronic kidney disease).©2019American Society for Bone andMineral Research.

AbstractObjectiveTo address knowledge gaps regarding burdens associated with not adequately controlled chronic hypoparathyroidism.DesignGlobal patient and caregiver survey.Study PopulationsPatients with chronic hypoparathyroidism not adequately controlled on conventional therapy and their caregivers.MeasurementsHealth‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and health status were evaluated using the 36‐item Short Form version 2 (SF‐36 v2.0) and Five‐Level EuroQoL 5 Dimensions (EQ‐5D‐5L) instruments, respectively. Hypoparathyroidism‐associated symptoms were assessed by a disease‐specific Hypoparathyroidism Symptom Diary and caregiver burden via the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI).ResultsData were obtained from 398 patients and 207 caregivers. Patients' self‐rated hypoparathyroidism‐related symptom severity was none (3%), mild (32%), moderate (53%) or severe (12%). Per the Hypoparathyroidism Symptom Diary, patients reported moderate, severe or very severe symptoms of physical fatigue (73%), muscle cramps (55%), heaviness in limbs (55%) and tingling (51%) over a 7‐day recall period. Impacts (rated ‘somewhat’ or ‘very much’) were reported by 84% of patients for ability to exercise, 78% for sleep, 75% for ability to work and 63% for family relationships. Inverse relationships were observed between patient self‐rated overall symptom severity and HRQoL and health status assessment scores—the greater the symptom severity, the lower the SF‐36 and EQ‐5D‐5L scores. Caregiver burden increased with patient self‐rated symptom severity: none, 1.7 MCSI; mild, 5.4 MCSI; moderate, 9.5 MCSI; and severe, 12.5 MCSI.ConclusionPatients with not adequately controlled hypoparathyroidism reported substantial symptoms and impacts. Greater patient symptom severity was associated with decreased patient HRQoL and health status assessments and increased caregiver burden.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) is a rare hematologic disease manifesting as granulomatous or fibrotic infiltration of long bones and non-skeletal tissues by non-Langerhans foamy histiocytic (CD68+, CD1a-, S100-) cells. The clinical presentation can be diverse and any organ can be affected. It is estimated that less than 500 cases have been reported in the literature. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients evaluated at Mayo Clinic from January 2001 to May 2014. A tissue biopsy review by pathologists at Mayo Clinic was necessary for inclusion in the study. In all cases, the diagnosis of ECD was confirmed using clinical criteria in conjunction with histopathologic findings. Clinical data such as patient characteristics, disease presentation, management strategies, treatment responses, and survival time were collected. RESULTS: Forty-five patients with confirmed ECD were included in our study. The median age at diagnosis was 53 years (range, 32-78), while the median age of onset of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 24 months (range, 1-180). There was a male predilection with a male to female ratio of 2.4. The duration of follow-up ranged from 1-168 months (median, 20). At the time of last follow-up, 38 patients were alive and 5 were dead, while the vital statuses of 2 patients were unknown. The median and mean survival times from the time of diagnosis were 150 and 130 months respectively. The median survival time from the time of symptom onset was not reached and mean time was 154 months (Figures 1A and 1B). Bone pain was the most common presenting symptom (27%). Other common presentations included diabetes insipidus (24%), abdominal pain (22%), B symptoms (13%), visual changes (13%), renal failure/obstruction (11%), pleural effusion (9%), other neurologic symptoms (9%), ataxia (7%), pericardial effusion (7%), edema (7%), dyspnea (7%), and hypertension (7%). The organs/sites involved were bone (80%), central nervous system (59%), kidneys (56%), lungs (38%), retroperitoneum (33%), heart (22%), sinuses (22%), bone marrow (14%), adrenal glands (13%), liver (11%), spleen (11%), and skin (16%). Only 18 (40%) patients had the diagnosis established by the first biopsy. The rest required multiple biopsies before the diagnosis was confirmed (median, 2; range, 1-5). Testing for BRAF V600Ewas performed in 12 patients and 8 (67%) tested positive for the mutation. Eight patients have not required ECD-specific treatment so far. Of the 37 patients who required treatment, the median number of treatments received was 2 (range, 1-7). The systemic treatments received and their response rates are summarized in Table 1. Four patients received radiotherapy but none responded. At the time of the last follow up, 5 patients with BRAFV600E were receiving treatment with vemurafenib or dabrafenib. However, follow-up is insufficient for proper assessment of response. CONCLUSIONS: ECD is an extremely rare diagnosis as exemplified in our retrospective analysis. The diagnosis is often challenging due to protean and diverse clinical presentation as well as frequent inconclusive initial biopsies. There is usually a long-latency period of smoldering symptoms leading to definitive diagnosis. A high level of suspicion is essential in order to make the diagnosis and BRAFmutation analysis should be considered an integral part of work up even if biopsy is non-diagnostic. Traditional oncologic systemic therapies and even novel rheumatologic anti-inflammatory agents generally have limited objective activity. BRAF inhibitors offer a novel treatment option and results of prospective studies are eagerly awaited. Abstract 1405. Table 1: Summary of Response to Various Treatment Modalities in Patients with ECD Therapeutic Agent Number of Patients Treated Response (%) Complete Response Partial Response Stable Disease No response Corticosteroids 11 0 0 9 91 Methotrexate 9 0 0 11 89 Cyclophosphamide 4 0 0 25 75 2-CDA 12 8 17 25 50 Interferon-α 8 0 29 14 57 Vinorelbine 4 0 50 0 50 Tumor necrosis-α factor Inhibitors 7 0 0 14 86 Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonists 6 17 17 0 67 Tamoxifen 2 0 50 0 50 Radiotherapy 4 0 0 0 100 Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Off Label Use: We report among all treatments utilized at our institution for ECD including the use of steroids, immunosupressants, TNF blockers, interleukin-1 receptor antagonists, and BRAF inhibitors in patients with Erdheim Chester Disease. These treatments, though supported by other reports in the literature, have not been explicitly approved by the FDA for ECD..

ABSTRACT Osteoporosis-related fractures are undertreated, due in part to misinformation about recommended approaches to patient care and discrepancies among treatment guidelines. To help bridge this gap and improve patient outcomes, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research assembled a multistakeholder coalition to develop clinical recommendations for the optimal prevention of secondary fracture among people aged 65 years and older with a hip or vertebral fracture. The coalition developed 13 recommendations (7 primary and 6 secondary) strongly supported by the empirical literature. The coalition recommends increased communication with patients regarding fracture risk, mortality and morbidity outcomes, and fracture risk reduction. Risk assessment (including fall history) should occur at regular intervals with referral to physical and/or occupational therapy as appropriate. Oral, intravenous, and subcutaneous pharmacotherapies are efficacious and can reduce risk of future fracture. Patients need education, however, about the benefits and risks of both treatment and not receiving treatment. Oral bisphosphonates alendronate and risedronate are first-line options and are generally well tolerated; otherwise, intravenous zoledronic acid and subcutaneous denosumab can be considered. Anabolic agents are expensive but may be beneficial for selected patients at high risk. Optimal duration of pharmacotherapy is unknown but because the risk for second fractures is highest in the early post-fracture period, prompt treatment is recommended. Adequate dietary or supplemental vitamin D and calcium intake should be assured. Individuals being treated for osteoporosis should be reevaluated for fracture risk routinely, including via patient education about osteoporosis and fractures and monitoring for adverse treatment effects. Patients should be strongly encouraged to avoid tobacco, consume alcohol in moderation at most, and engage in regular exercise and fall prevention strategies. Finally, referral to endocrinologists or other osteoporosis specialists may be warranted for individuals who experience repeated fracture or bone loss and those with complicating comorbidities (eg, hyperparathyroidism, chronic kidney disease). © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Abstract Context Conventional hypoparathyroidism treatment with oral calcium and active vitamin D is aimed at correcting hypocalcemia but does not address other physiologic defects caused by PTH deficiency. Objective To evaluate long-term safety and tolerability of recombinant human PTH (1-84) [rhPTH(1-84)]. Design Open-label extension study; 5-year interim analysis. Setting 12 US centers. Patients Adults (N = 49) with chronic hypoparathyroidism. Intervention(s) rhPTH(1-84) 25 or 50 µg/d initially, with 25-µg adjustments permitted to a 100 µg/d maximum. Main Outcome Measure(s) Safety parameters; composite efficacy outcome was the proportion of patients with ≥50% reduction in oral calcium (or ≤500 mg/d) and calcitriol (or ≤0.25 µg/d) doses, and albumin-corrected serum calcium normalized or maintained compared with baseline, not exceeding upper limit of normal. Results Forty patients completed 60 months of treatment. Mean albumin-corrected serum calcium levels remained between 8.2 and 8.7 mg/dL. Between baseline and month 60, levels ± SD of urinary calcium, serum phosphorus, and calcium-phosphorus product decreased by 101.2 ± 236.24 mg/24 hours, 1.0 ± 0.78 mg/dL, and 8.5 ± 8.29 mg2/dL2, respectively. Serum creatinine level and estimated glomerular filtration rate were unchanged. Treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were reported in 48 patients (98.0%; hypocalcemia, 36.7%; muscle spasms, 32.7%; paresthesia, 30.6%; sinusitis, 30.6%; nausea, 30.6%) and serious AEs in 13 (26.5%). At month 60, 28 patients (70.0%) achieved the composite efficacy outcome. Bone turnover markers increased, peaked at ∼12 months, and then declined to values that remained above baseline. Conclusion Treatment with rhPTH(1-84) for 5 years demonstrated a safety profile consistent with previous studies and improved key biochemical parameters.