82 patients with vertebral compression fractures (VCF) were randomized to either percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) or optimal medical therapy (OMT) to compare their efficacy in improving pain and quality of life (QOL). Percutaneous vertebroplasty led to a short-term (6 months) improvement in pain and long-term (36 months) improvement in QOL when compared to optimal medical therapy. Thus, this study considered percutaneous vertebroplasty to be more effective in patients with acute VCF than optimal medical therapy. Further research should be undertaken to compare vertebroplasty to other operative options.