Study Stopped
Recruitment stopped due to funding shortage. The scope of the original study increased beyond what had been budgeted in the grant that funded it, and follow-up funding attempts were not successful.
Altering Bone Microarchitecture and Mechanics by Off-label Pharmaceutical Intervention Following an Acute Knee Injury
ZAPOA
1 other identifier
interventional
4
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to assess if a zoledronic acid injection can alter the trajectory of joint degeneration following an acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for phase_1
Started May 2023
Typical duration for phase_1
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
December 21, 2021
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
January 24, 2022
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
May 16, 2023
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
July 3, 2025
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
July 3, 2025
CompletedDecember 2, 2025
September 1, 2025
2.1 years
December 21, 2021
November 25, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Bone microarchitecture changes at 6 months as assessed by high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT)
To determine morphological parameters from HR-pQCT scans, the trabecular portion must be isolated from the cortical shell of the bone in order to analyse the components separately. This is accomplished with an already developed auto-segmentation algorithm. In addition, the raw HR-pQCT images must be converted to binary images, wherein each voxel (3D pixel) is either labelled 'bone' or 'not bone.' This segmentation is performed by an algorithm which applies either a Gaussian or Laplace-Hamming filter in addition to a threshold to the grey-scale images. The binary images can then be analysed and morphological parameters can be determined. The changes in bone microarchitecture will be assessed at 6 months in comparison to baseline.
Baseline, 6 months
Bone microarchitecture changes at 18 months as assessed by high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT)
To determine morphological parameters from HR-pQCT scans, the trabecular portion must be isolated from the cortical shell of the bone in order to analyse the components separately. This is accomplished with an already developed auto-segmentation algorithm. In addition, the raw HR-pQCT images must be converted to binary images, wherein each voxel (3D pixel) is either labelled 'bone' or 'not bone.' This segmentation is performed by an algorithm which applies either a Gaussian or Laplace-Hamming filter in addition to a threshold to the grey-scale images. The binary images can then be analysed and morphological parameters can be determined. The changes in bone microarchitecture will be assessed at 18 months in comparison to baseline.
Baseline, 18 months
Secondary Outcomes (33)
Bone marrow lesions (BML) and soft tissue injury changes at 2 months as assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Baseline, 2 months
Bone marrow lesions (BML) and soft tissue injury changes at 2 months as assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Baseline, 2 months
Bone marrow lesions (BML) and soft tissue injury changes at 2 months as assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Baseline, 2 months
Bone marrow lesions (BML) and soft tissue injury changes at 2 months as assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Baseline, 2 months
Bone marrow lesions (BML) and soft tissue injury changes at 6 months as assessed by MRI
Baseline, 6 months
- +28 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Zoledronic Acid Injection
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will receive 1 dose of 5 mg/100 mL intravenous zoledronic acid
Placebo
PLACEBO COMPARATORParticipants will receive 1 dose 100 ml Saline.
Interventions
5 mg / 100 mL intravenous infusion
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Clinical evidence of an acute unilateral ACL tear (full-thickness, complete tear) will be recruited. This age range is chosen to ensure participants have fully developed adult bone structures and to exclude participants with menopause as this could affect study results.
- Participants with combined ligament deficiencies (posterior cruciate, medial and/or lateral collateral) or meniscal injury will be included. Participants must be able to fully extend the knee while supported at the time of the baseline measurement in order to conduct the HR-pQCT scan.
- Participants with a serum calcium level in the normal range (2.10-2.60 mmol/L) and a creatinine level above 59 (reported as eGFR) will be included.
You may not qualify if:
- Individuals with contraindications to zoledronic acid (see below)
- Prior knee ligament and/or meniscus tears, and/or intra-articular fractures.
- Females who are pregnant or planning pregnancy within a year will not be eligible. The research team will recommend participants who are planning to become pregnant within the next five years to withdraw their participation.
- Individuals with knees larger than the CT scanner's circular field of view.
- Individuals with a history of disease and/or treatment affecting bone turnover in the past 12 months.
- Individuals with injuries or implants that are not MRI-safe.
- Zoledronic acid is contraindicated for:
- Patients who are hypersensitive to this drug or to any ingredient in the formulation, or to any bisphosphonates or component of the container.
- Severe renal impairment with creatinine clearance \<35 mL/min and in those with evidence of acute renal impairment. For this study, participants with a creatinine clearance \<50 mL/min may be excluded.
- Non-corrected hypocalcaemia at the time of infusion.
- Pregnant and nursing mothers.
- Patients who are already taking another bisphosphonate (ex. for osteoporosis).
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
Related Publications (45)
Dare D, Rodeo S. Mechanisms of post-traumatic osteoarthritis after ACL injury. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2014 Oct;16(10):448. doi: 10.1007/s11926-014-0448-1.
PMID: 25182676BACKGROUNDLohmander LS, Englund PM, Dahl LL, Roos EM. The long-term consequence of anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injuries: osteoarthritis. Am J Sports Med. 2007 Oct;35(10):1756-69. doi: 10.1177/0363546507307396. Epub 2007 Aug 29.
PMID: 17761605BACKGROUNDNoyes FR, Bassett RW, Grood ES, Butler DL. Arthroscopy in acute traumatic hemarthrosis of the knee. Incidence of anterior cruciate tears and other injuries. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1980 Jul;62(5):687-95, 757.
PMID: 7391091BACKGROUNDSpeer KP, Spritzer CE, Bassett FH 3rd, Feagin JA Jr, Garrett WE Jr. Osseous injury associated with acute tears of the anterior cruciate ligament. Am J Sports Med. 1992 Jul-Aug;20(4):382-9. doi: 10.1177/036354659202000403.
PMID: 1415878BACKGROUNDSpindler KP, Schils JP, Bergfeld JA, Andrish JT, Weiker GG, Anderson TE, Piraino DW, Richmond BJ, Medendorp SV. Prospective study of osseous, articular, and meniscal lesions in recent anterior cruciate ligament tears by magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy. Am J Sports Med. 1993 Jul-Aug;21(4):551-7. doi: 10.1177/036354659302100412.
PMID: 8368416BACKGROUNDSanders TL, Maradit Kremers H, Bryan AJ, Larson DR, Dahm DL, Levy BA, Stuart MJ, Krych AJ. Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears and Reconstruction: A 21-Year Population-Based Study. Am J Sports Med. 2016 Jun;44(6):1502-7. doi: 10.1177/0363546516629944. Epub 2016 Feb 26.
PMID: 26920430BACKGROUNDPoulsen E, Goncalves GH, Bricca A, Roos EM, Thorlund JB, Juhl CB. Knee osteoarthritis risk is increased 4-6 fold after knee injury - a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2019 Dec;53(23):1454-1463. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-100022. Epub 2019 May 9.
PMID: 31072840BACKGROUNDBuckwalter JA. Articular cartilage injuries. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2002 Sep;(402):21-37. doi: 10.1097/00003086-200209000-00004.
PMID: 12218470BACKGROUNDClaes S, Hermie L, Verdonk R, Bellemans J, Verdonk P. Is osteoarthritis an inevitable consequence of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction? A meta-analysis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2013 Sep;21(9):1967-76. doi: 10.1007/s00167-012-2251-8. Epub 2012 Oct 26.
PMID: 23100047BACKGROUNDHuetink K, Nelissen RG, Watt I, van Erkel AR, Bloem JL. Localized development of knee osteoarthritis can be predicted from MR imaging findings a decade earlier. Radiology. 2010 Aug;256(2):536-46. doi: 10.1148/radiol.10090683. Epub 2010 Jun 29.
PMID: 20587644BACKGROUNDMeunier A, Odensten M, Good L. Long-term results after primary repair or non-surgical treatment of anterior cruciate ligament rupture: a randomized study with a 15-year follow-up. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2007 Jun;17(3):230-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2006.00547.x.
PMID: 17501866BACKGROUNDHunter DJ, Guermazi A, Lo GH, Grainger AJ, Conaghan PG, Boudreau RM, Roemer FW. Evolution of semi-quantitative whole joint assessment of knee OA: MOAKS (MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score). Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2011 Aug;19(8):990-1002. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2011.05.004. Epub 2011 May 23.
PMID: 21645627BACKGROUNDBhatla JL, Kroker A, Manske SL, Emery CA, Boyd SK. Differences in subchondral bone plate and cartilage thickness between women with anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions and uninjured controls. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2018 Jul;26(7):929-939. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2018.04.006. Epub 2018 Apr 17.
PMID: 29678623BACKGROUNDKroker A, Manske SL, Mohtadi N, Boyd SK. A study of the relationship between meniscal injury and bone microarchitecture in ACL reconstructed knees. Knee. 2018 Oct;25(5):746-756. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2018.07.004. Epub 2018 Aug 13.
PMID: 30115589BACKGROUNDMichalak GJ, Walker R, Boyd SK. Concurrent Assessment of Cartilage Morphology and Bone Microarchitecture in the Human Knee Using Contrast-Enhanced HR-pQCT Imaging. J Clin Densitom. 2019 Jan-Mar;22(1):74-85. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2018.07.002. Epub 2018 Jul 19.
PMID: 30120027BACKGROUNDKroker A, Bhatla JL, Emery CA, Manske SL, Boyd SK. Subchondral bone microarchitecture in ACL reconstructed knees of young women: A comparison with contralateral and uninjured control knees. Bone. 2018 Jun;111:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2018.03.006. Epub 2018 Mar 8.
PMID: 29526780BACKGROUNDKroker A, Besler BA, Bhatla JL, Shtil M, Salat P, Mohtadi N, Walker RE, Manske SL, Boyd SK. Longitudinal Effects of Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears on Peri-Articular Bone in Human Knees Within the First Year of Injury. J Orthop Res. 2019 Nov;37(11):2325-2336. doi: 10.1002/jor.24410. Epub 2019 Jul 23.
PMID: 31283044BACKGROUNDShe G, Zhou Z, Zha Z, Wang F, Pan X. Protective effect of zoledronic acid on articular cartilage and subchondral bone of rabbits with experimental knee osteoarthritis. Exp Ther Med. 2017 Nov;14(5):4901-4909. doi: 10.3892/etm.2017.5135. Epub 2017 Sep 19.
PMID: 29201194BACKGROUNDSpector TD, Conaghan PG, Buckland-Wright JC, Garnero P, Cline GA, Beary JF, Valent DJ, Meyer JM. Effect of risedronate on joint structure and symptoms of knee osteoarthritis: results of the BRISK randomized, controlled trial [ISRCTN01928173]. Arthritis Res Ther. 2005;7(3):R625-33. doi: 10.1186/ar1716. Epub 2005 Mar 24.
PMID: 15899049BACKGROUNDBingham CO 3rd, Buckland-Wright JC, Garnero P, Cohen SB, Dougados M, Adami S, Clauw DJ, Spector TD, Pelletier JP, Raynauld JP, Strand V, Simon LS, Meyer JM, Cline GA, Beary JF. Risedronate decreases biochemical markers of cartilage degradation but does not decrease symptoms or slow radiographic progression in patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee: results of the two-year multinational knee osteoarthritis structural arthritis study. Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Nov;54(11):3494-507. doi: 10.1002/art.22160.
PMID: 17075851BACKGROUNDAdami S, Pavelka K, Cline GA, Hosterman MA, Barton IP, Cohen SB, Bensen WG. Upper gastrointestinal tract safety of daily oral risedronate in patients taking NSAIDs: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Mayo Clin Proc. 2005 Oct;80(10):1278-85. doi: 10.4065/80.10.1278.
PMID: 16212139BACKGROUNDLaslett LL, Dore DA, Quinn SJ, Boon P, Ryan E, Winzenberg TM, Jones G. Zoledronic acid reduces knee pain and bone marrow lesions over 1 year: a randomised controlled trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2012 Aug;71(8):1322-8. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2011-200970. Epub 2012 Feb 21.
PMID: 22355040BACKGROUNDRossini M, Adami S, Fracassi E, Viapiana O, Orsolini G, Povino MR, Idolazzi L, Gatti D. Effects of intra-articular clodronate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: results of a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Rheumatol Int. 2015 Feb;35(2):255-63. doi: 10.1007/s00296-014-3100-5. Epub 2014 Aug 1.
PMID: 25080876BACKGROUNDVarenna M, Zucchi F, Failoni S, Becciolini A, Berruto M. Intravenous neridronate in the treatment of acute painful knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled study. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2015 Oct;54(10):1826-32. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kev123. Epub 2015 May 20.
PMID: 25998450BACKGROUNDVaysbrot EE, Osani MC, Musetti MC, McAlindon TE, Bannuru RR. Are bisphosphonates efficacious in knee osteoarthritis? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2018 Feb;26(2):154-164. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2017.11.013. Epub 2017 Dec 6.
PMID: 29222056BACKGROUNDKuttapitiya A, Assi L, Laing K, Hing C, Mitchell P, Whitley G, Harrison A, Howe FA, Ejindu V, Heron C, Sofat N. Microarray analysis of bone marrow lesions in osteoarthritis demonstrates upregulation of genes implicated in osteochondral turnover, neurogenesis and inflammation. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Oct;76(10):1764-1773. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-211396. Epub 2017 Jul 13.
PMID: 28705915BACKGROUNDCai G, Aitken D, Laslett LL, Pelletier JP, Martel-Pelletier J, Hill C, March L, Wluka AE, Wang Y, Antony B, Blizzard L, Winzenberg T, Cicuttini F, Jones G. Effect of Intravenous Zoledronic Acid on Tibiofemoral Cartilage Volume Among Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis With Bone Marrow Lesions: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020 Apr 21;323(15):1456-1466. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.2938.
PMID: 32315057BACKGROUNDAitken D, Laslett LL, Cai G, Hill C, March L, Wluka AE, Wang Y, Blizzard L, Cicuttini F, Jones G. A protocol for a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to compare the effect of annual infusions of zoledronic acid to placebo on knee structural change and knee pain over 24 months in knee osteoarthritis patients - ZAP2. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018 Jul 18;19(1):217. doi: 10.1186/s12891-018-2143-2.
PMID: 30021646BACKGROUNDLohmander LS, Ostenberg A, Englund M, Roos H. High prevalence of knee osteoarthritis, pain, and functional limitations in female soccer players twelve years after anterior cruciate ligament injury. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Oct;50(10):3145-52. doi: 10.1002/art.20589.
PMID: 15476248BACKGROUNDDavis AM, Kennedy D, Wong R, Robarts S, Skou ST, McGlasson R, Li LC, Roos E. Cross-cultural adaptation and implementation of Good Life with osteoarthritis in Denmark (GLA:D): group education and exercise for hip and knee osteoarthritis is feasible in Canada. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2018 Feb;26(2):211-219. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2017.11.005. Epub 2017 Nov 13.
PMID: 29146385BACKGROUNDMaetzel A, Li LC, Pencharz J, Tomlinson G, Bombardier C; Community Hypertension and Arthritis Project Study Team. The economic burden associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypertension: a comparative study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004 Apr;63(4):395-401. doi: 10.1136/ard.2003.006031.
PMID: 15020333BACKGROUNDCross M, Smith E, Hoy D, Nolte S, Ackerman I, Fransen M, Bridgett L, Williams S, Guillemin F, Hill CL, Laslett LL, Jones G, Cicuttini F, Osborne R, Vos T, Buchbinder R, Woolf A, March L. The global burden of hip and knee osteoarthritis: estimates from the global burden of disease 2010 study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014 Jul;73(7):1323-30. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2013-204763. Epub 2014 Feb 19.
PMID: 24553908BACKGROUNDBurt LA, Liang Z, Sajobi TT, Hanley DA, Boyd SK. Sex- and Site-Specific Normative Data Curves for HR-pQCT. J Bone Miner Res. 2016 Nov;31(11):2041-2047. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.2873. Epub 2016 Jun 9.
PMID: 27192388BACKGROUNDCampbell GM, Buie HR, Boyd SK. Signs of irreversible architectural changes occur early in the development of experimental osteoporosis as assessed by in vivo micro-CT. Osteoporos Int. 2008 Oct;19(10):1409-19. doi: 10.1007/s00198-008-0581-7. Epub 2008 Mar 29.
PMID: 18373058BACKGROUNDWhittier DE, Boyd SK, Burghardt AJ, Paccou J, Ghasem-Zadeh A, Chapurlat R, Engelke K, Bouxsein ML. Guidelines for the assessment of bone density and microarchitecture in vivo using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Osteoporos Int. 2020 Sep;31(9):1607-1627. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05438-5. Epub 2020 May 26.
PMID: 32458029BACKGROUNDMattap SM, Aitken D, Wills K, Laslett L, Ding C, Pelletier JP, Martel-Pelletier J, Graves SE, Lorimer M, Cicuttini F, Jones G. How Do MRI-Detected Subchondral Bone Marrow Lesions (BMLs) on Two Different MRI Sequences Correlate with Clinically Important Outcomes? Calcif Tissue Int. 2018 Aug;103(2):131-143. doi: 10.1007/s00223-018-0402-8. Epub 2018 Feb 13.
PMID: 29441423BACKGROUNDGuermazi A, Eckstein F, Hellio Le Graverand-Gastineau MP, Conaghan PG, Burstein D, Keen H, Roemer FW. Osteoarthritis: current role of imaging. Med Clin North Am. 2009 Jan;93(1):101-26, xi. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2008.08.003.
PMID: 19059024BACKGROUNDKroker A, Zhu Y, Manske SL, Barber R, Mohtadi N, Boyd SK. Quantitative in vivo assessment of bone microarchitecture in the human knee using HR-pQCT. Bone. 2017 Apr;97:43-48. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2016.12.015. Epub 2016 Dec 27.
PMID: 28039095BACKGROUNDCompston J. Pathophysiology of atypical femoral fractures and osteonecrosis of the jaw. Osteoporos Int. 2011 Dec;22(12):2951-61. doi: 10.1007/s00198-011-1804-x. Epub 2011 Oct 14.
PMID: 21997225BACKGROUNDMohtadi N. Development and validation of the quality of life outcome measure (questionnaire) for chronic anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Am J Sports Med. 1998 May-Jun;26(3):350-9. doi: 10.1177/03635465980260030201.
PMID: 9617395BACKGROUNDRoos EM, Roos HP, Lohmander LS, Ekdahl C, Beynnon BD. Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)--development of a self-administered outcome measure. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1998 Aug;28(2):88-96. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1998.28.2.88.
PMID: 9699158BACKGROUNDBuie HR, Campbell GM, Klinck RJ, MacNeil JA, Boyd SK. Automatic segmentation of cortical and trabecular compartments based on a dual threshold technique for in vivo micro-CT bone analysis. Bone. 2007 Oct;41(4):505-15. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2007.07.007. Epub 2007 Jul 18.
PMID: 17693147BACKGROUNDKemp TD, de Bakker CMJ, Gabel L, Hanley DA, Billington EO, Burt LA, Boyd SK. Longitudinal bone microarchitectural changes are best detected using image registration. Osteoporos Int. 2020 Oct;31(10):1995-2005. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05449-2. Epub 2020 May 19.
PMID: 32430614BACKGROUNDEllouz R, Chapurlat R, van Rietbergen B, Christen P, Pialat JB, Boutroy S. Challenges in longitudinal measurements with HR-pQCT: evaluation of a 3D registration method to improve bone microarchitecture and strength measurement reproducibility. Bone. 2014 Jun;63:147-57. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2014.03.001. Epub 2014 Mar 12.
PMID: 24614646BACKGROUNDArias-Moreno AJ, Hosseini HS, Bevers M, Ito K, Zysset P, van Rietbergen B. Validation of distal radius failure load predictions by homogenized- and micro-finite element analyses based on second-generation high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT images. Osteoporos Int. 2019 Jul;30(7):1433-1443. doi: 10.1007/s00198-019-04935-6. Epub 2019 Apr 17.
PMID: 30997546BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Steven Boyd, PhD
University of Calgary
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Gregory Kline, MD
University of Calgary
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 1
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
December 21, 2021
First Posted
January 24, 2022
Study Start
May 16, 2023
Primary Completion
July 3, 2025
Study Completion
July 3, 2025
Last Updated
December 2, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-09