Significance of strontium ranelate in healing of surgically fixed tibial diapyseal fractures treated with strontium ranelate vs placebo; a randomised double blind controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine the surgical outcome of patients with axial cervical spine fractures. METHODS The randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted at the Indus Hospital, Karachi, from August 2011 to August 2013. Patients were randomised to receive placebo or strontium ranelate postoperatively after surgical fixation of tibial diaphyseal fractures. Assessment of fracture healing was done clinically and radiologically at 30, 60 and 90 days. SPSS 21 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Initially, 76 patients were enrolled, but 63(82.9%) completed the study. Out of 63 patients, 32(50.8%) were randomly assigned to group A and 31(49.2%) to group B, which was administered the placebo. Overall enhancement of fracture healing efficacy of strontium ranelate group was 20(62.5%) versus 9(29%) of the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS Strontium ranelate was effective in enhancing fracture healing based on clinical and radiological assessment. Hence, it can be considered an effective therapeutic agent for accelerating fracture healing.