Efficacy of Denosumab for Treatment of Pain in Fibrous Dysplasia and McCune‐Albright Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Background Fibrous dysplasia (FD) skeletal lesions have a range of clinical manifestations including pain, which is a major contributor to reduced quality of life in patients with FD/MAS. Denosumab has been shown to reduce skeletal lesion activity and improve radiographic bone density; however, there is mixed evidence regarding its effect on pain. Objective The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of denosumab for the treatment of bone pain in FD/MAS. Methods A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines utilising electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Included studies were those that described patients with a diagnosis of FD, with or without MAS, who were treated with denosumab. The primary outcomes were change in pain score using quantitative pain scales (Visual Analogue Scale, Brief Pain Index, and patient‐reported numerical rating scale), proportion of pain responders (≥ 2‐point reduction in pain or an overall subjective improvement in pain), and change in analgesic requirement. The secondary outcome was adverse on‐treatment and post‐treatment events related to denosumab. Results There were 16 studies included (88 total patients, 86 treated with denosumab). Mean pain score decreased by 3.51 points on a 10‐point scale. 81.8% of patients were pain responders, demonstrating a clinically meaningful improvement in pain. Reduction or cessation of analgesic use was reported in 51.7% of patients. Adverse events occurred in 55.8% of patients, most commonly hypocalcemia (11.6%) and hypophosphatemia (8.1%). Rebound hypercalcemia following denosumab discontinuation occurred in 8 patients (9.3%), 4 of which were severe. Conclusions In patients with FD/MAS undergoing treatment with denosumab, pain improved in 81.8% of patients, and analgesic requirement decreased in greater than half of patients. Careful monitoring is required surrounding treatment due the potential for severe adverse events, particularly rebound hypercalcemia following treatment discontinuation.