The Effect of Zoledronic Acid on the Clinical Resolution of Charcot Neuroarthropathy: A pilot randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of zoledronic acid in patients with diabetes and acute Charcot neuroarthropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients were randomly assigned to placebo or three intravenous infusions of 4 mg zoledronic acid. The primary outcome was clinical resolution of acute Charcot neuroarthropathy determined by total immobilization time (casting plus orthosis). RESULTS: At baseline, there was no significant difference between the randomly assigned groups with respect to Charcot disease activity or other baseline values. In the zoledronic acid group, the median time for total immobilization was 27 weeks (range 10–62), and in the placebo group it was 20 weeks (20–52) (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Zoledronic acid had no beneficial effect on the clinical resolution of acute Charcot neuroarthropathy in terms of total immobilization time. It is possible that it may prolong the time to clinical resolution of Charcot neuroarthropathy.