As opposed to antiresorptive therapy, anabolic therapy stimulates new bone formation, which leads to greater gains in bone density, particularly in the axial skeleton. TPT is a parathyroid hormone analog that stimulates bone formation and subsequently improves bone density and strength, thus leading to fewer fractures. TPT is given subcutaneously daily and results in bone gain, an effect that appears to attenuate after 18-24 months of use. After a median 19-month
treatment with the 20-mg dose of TPT, increases in bone density of 9.7% have been noted in the spine,
with a slightly smaller increase in the hip. These increases translate to a decrease in the relative risk of fracture of 65% in the spine and a 53% reduction of nonvertebral fragility fractures.