Research Spotlight: Pepper Center PI, Dr. Greenspan

Zoledronic Acid for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention (ZEST II)

Dr. Susan Greenspan,  Professor of Medicine, studies geriatric osteoporosis, including its pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment. She is Director of the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center and Director of Bone Health at Magee Women’s Hospital.  Dr. Greenspan is President of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors for NIH/NIA. Her current R01-funded research focuses on osteoporosis in institutionalized older adults, evaluating the effects of osteoporosis therapy to reduce fracture.

Although close to 85% of frail women in long-term care facilities have osteoporosis and the risk of osteoporotic fractures is nearly 10 times that of community dwelling elderly, few are treated and studies are scarce. Fracture reduction studies are desperately needed in this vulnerable population. ZEST II for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention enrolls volunteers who reside within senior-living facilities in the Pittsburgh area. The purpose of the study is to find out how well the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication, zoledronic acid, works to prevent fractures in osteoporotic women over 65 who reside in senior living communities.

Residents who participate in the study recieve a screening DXA scan (a special low-radiation x-ray) of the hip and spine which measures bone thickness and shows if there are any vertebral fractures (breaks in the small bones of the spine). Eligible participants are randomly assigned to receive either zoledronic acid or placebo (an I.V. solution containing no study drug) annually over three years. All participants also receive Calcium and Vitamin D supplements and they are followed for three years. The study visits take place at senior-living facilities using a mobile DXA unit.

Spotlight

New, ongoing research is at the forefront of the Pepper Center’s mission. Please visit our Spotlight that periodically features ongoing or completed studies from Pepper Center investigators.

Spotlight

New, ongoing research is at the forefront of the Pepper Center’s mission. Please visit our Spotlight that periodically features ongoing or completed studies from Pepper Center investigators.

Research Spotlight: Pepper Center PI, Dr. Greenspan

Zoledronic Acid for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention (ZEST II)

Dr. Susan Greenspan,  Professor of Medicine, studies geriatric osteoporosis, including its pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment. She is Director of the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center and Director of Bone Health at Magee Women’s Hospital.  Dr. Greenspan is President of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors for NIH/NIA. Her current R01-funded research focuses on osteoporosis in institutionalized older adults, evaluating the effects of osteoporosis therapy to reduce fracture.

Although close to 85% of frail women in long-term care facilities have osteoporosis and the risk of osteoporotic fractures is nearly 10 times that of community dwelling elderly, few are treated and studies are scarce. Fracture reduction studies are desperately needed in this vulnerable population. ZEST II for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention enrolls volunteers who reside within senior-living facilities in the Pittsburgh area. The purpose of the study is to find out how well the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication, zoledronic acid, works to prevent fractures in osteoporotic women over 65 who reside in senior living communities.

Residents who participate in the study recieve a screening DXA scan (a special low-radiation x-ray) of the hip and spine which measures bone thickness and shows if there are any vertebral fractures (breaks in the small bones of the spine). Eligible participants are randomly assigned to receive either zoledronic acid or placebo (an I.V. solution containing no study drug) annually over three years. All participants also receive Calcium and Vitamin D supplements and they are followed for three years. The study visits take place at senior-living facilities using a mobile DXA unit.

Pepper Publications

The Pepper Center constitutes a concentrated, multidisciplinary effort aimed towards understanding the causes of age-related issues and a focus on development of innovative treatments.

To browse through our of all publications supported by our Pepper Center:

Resources

The Pepper Center has a core set of resources for investigators, including expertise and assistance with study design and implementation. Additional resources including fact sheets, aging research related podcasts, and contact information can be found here.

Geriatrics Research Instrument Library (GRIL)

GRIL presently includes 175 instruments across 18 domains:

Find instruments by domain, or by typing into the search bar the instrument title, domain, keywords, description info, or author names

Anxiety, Caregiver Burden, Cognition/Dementia, Delirium, Depression, Frailty, General Health Status/Quality of Life, Health Behaviors, Hearing, Medical Comorbidity, Medication Adherence, Pain, Physical Activity/Performance, Physical Disability, Resilience, Sleep, Social Support, Vision

Learn more here:

https://www.peppercenter.org/public/gril.cfm

 

CNS Drug Burden on Serious Falls in Older Nursing Home Residents

CTSI Research Facilitators and Liaisons

CTSI research facilitators and liaisons are available to assist researchers and their staff with anything from study resign to participant recruitment.

 

Learn more about the facilitators here:

https://ctsi.pitt.edu/research-services/research-facilitator-services/

and the liaisons here:

https://ctsi.pitt.edu/research-services/core-services/engaging-special-populations/

SMART Center

Premier research lab for human subjects’ research on balance and mobility

The SMART Center has:

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6000 square feet
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180 foot oval track
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Open space to conduct mobility-based research
For more information about using the SMART Center, contact Bari Morchower Guzikowski at bmg96@pitt.edu