A retrospective review of patients with atypical femoral fractures while on long-term bisphosphonates: including pertinent biochemical and imaging studies.

Objective: To elucidate the effects of prolonged bisphosphonate (BP) exposure on the development of atypical fragility fractures, and to define the associated risk factors.

Methods: Approval was obtained from the institutional review board, and a retrospective chart analysis was performed on 51 patients who had been on BPs for at least 3 years and had complete subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femoral fracture(s) between January 2005 and April 2011. All relevant data were available for 25 patients (mean age, 67.