Introduction: Because aging is a predictor of renal insufficiency in the general population, renal function is a concern in postmenopausal patients undergoing treatment for osteoporosis. Although high serum phosphate concentration is a predictor of renal insufficiency, the effect of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) on renal function and phosphate homeostasis remains to be established.
Materials and methods: We administered 20 mg/day bazedoxifene to 48 postmenopausal osteoporotic women who had been taking alfacalcidol for ≥ 6 months, and assessed lumbar spine bone mineral density (LS-BMD), renal function (by calculating estimated glomerular filtration rate using serum cystatin-C levels [eGFRcys] [range 38.0-98.2 mL/min/1.73 m2]), and phosphate homeostasis.
Results: LS-BMD was significantly higher 6 months after the initiation of bazedoxifene administration. eGFRcys had increased by 3 months after initiation and was stable until 12 months. Serum phosphate gradually decreased after initiation, reaching statistical significance at 6 months. The changes in serum phosphate were also significant when the maximum tubular reabsorption rate of phosphate was normalized to glomerular filtration rate (TmP/GFR), indicating that bazedoxifene treatment reduces serum phosphate by increasing the urinary excretion of phosphate. The change in eGFRcys after the initiation of bazedoxifene was significantly negatively correlated with the change in serum phosphate, suggesting that a reduction in serum phosphate improves renal function.
Conclusion: Bazedoxifene improves renal function, possibly by increasing renal phosphate excretion, in postmenopausal osteoporotic women without severe renal insufficiency.
Keywords: Bazedoxifene; Chronic kidney disease (CKD); Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); Osteoporosis; Phosphate.