A comparative study of the clinical characteristics of patients with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw and osteoporosis or malignancy.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of patients with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) and osteoporosis vs malignancy.

Study Design: The study included patients hospitalized with MRONJ between July 2013 and April 2021. These patients were assigned to the osteoporosis or malignancy groups according to their primary disease. Characteristics and clinical variables were recorded and compared.

Results: Nighty-one patients (107 MRONJ lesions) were included, with 12 (14 lesions) in the osteoporosis group and 79 (93 lesions) in the malignancy group. The osteoporosis and malignancy groups differed in their respective incubation periods (57.0 ± 42.8 vs 29.3 ± 19.8 months, respectively; P = .048), bisphosphonates cumulative dose (16,487.4 ± 14,268.8 mg alendronate vs 104.0 ± 79.9 mg zoledronic; P = .014), and rate of patients receiving antiangiogenic agents (0/12, 0.0% vs 48/79, 60.8%; P = .001). The groups were similar in their treatment outcomes, measured as successful surgeries (11/12, 91.7% vs 59/79, 74.7%; P = .351).

Conclusions: For stage 2 or 3 MRONJ, patients with osteoporosis (exposed to oral bisphosphonates) developed MRONJ over a longer incubation period than patients with malignancy. The groups had similar responses to surgery.