{"id":65709,"date":"2023-09-26T14:49:21","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T18:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/medicine\/?p=65709"},"modified":"2023-09-26T14:52:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T18:52:20","slug":"unc-joins-osteoporosis-clinical-trial-to-test-specialist-fracture-liaison-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/medicine\/news\/unc-joins-osteoporosis-clinical-trial-to-test-specialist-fracture-liaison-service\/","title":{"rendered":"UNC Joins Osteoporosis Clinical Trial to Test Specialist-Fracture Liaison Service\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Donald Caraccio, MD, principal investigator and assistant professor medicine, and Maya Styner, MD, associate professor of medicine, will lead a clinical site for the RESTORE study- <\/span><\/i>RE<\/span><\/i><\/b>ducing future fracture<\/span>S<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u202f<\/span><\/i>and improving ou<\/span>T<\/span><\/i><\/b>c<\/span>O<\/span><\/i><\/b>mes of f<\/span>R<\/span><\/i><\/b>agility fractur<\/span>E<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bones in patients with osteoporosis often become fragile and have an increased risk for fracture or break. Known as fragility fractures, these events can cause severe pain and disability, and it is common for patients to experience repeat fractures.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The RESTORE study will test if patients with fragility fractures who are contacted by a patient navigator and then connected with a bone health specialist (Specialist-Fracture Liaison Service) have better health outcomes compared to those educated by their primary care physician (<\/span>Primary Care-Fracture Liaison Service).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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“There is an overall shortage of bone specialists such as endocrinologists and rheumatologists across the country.\u00a0This can lead to delays in care due to long wait times to schedule an appointment, or patients travelling long distances to be able to receive specialist care,” Dr. Caraccio said. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n

Design of RESTORE<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Funded by the <\/span>Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute<\/span><\/a> (PCORI), RESTORE will enroll about 2,600 adults throughout 20 sites around the country. Half of the participants will receive Specialist-Fracture Liaison Service, the others will be seen by their primary care provider.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"donald-caraccio\"
Donald Caraccio, MD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Caraccio<\/a> will enroll and follow around 150 patients at UNC\u2019s clinical site. Dr. Styner<\/a> will care for some patients as well. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Data sources, such as electronic medical records, will track fractures and deaths of those enrolled every 6 months, ending after 24 months. During that period, telephone surveys will also be conducted every 6-12 months to collect patient outcomes.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“We hope this study will clarify the effectiveness of specialist versus primary care providers for the treatment of osteoporosis in patients with fractures.\u00a0This information will help direct patients to the most efficient and effective care in the future,” Dr. Caraccio said. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers seek to understand if Specialist-Fracture Liaison Service will:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n