Author/Authors :
Manuel, Sosa-HenrIquez Spanish Society for Investigation of Osteoporosis and Bone Metabolic Diseases (SEIOMM), Spain , Manuel, Sosa-HenrIquez University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain , Maria Jesus, Gomez de Tejada-Romero Spanish Society for Investigation of Osteoporosis and Bone Metabolic Diseases (SEIOMM), Spain , Pedro, Saavedra-Santana University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain , Jose Antonio, Blazquez-Cabrera Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), Spain , Jesús Alberto, Garcia-Vadillo Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER), Spain , Carmen, Valdes-Llorca Spanish Society of General Practitioners (SEMERGEN), Spain , Manuel, Diaz-Curiel Spanish Foundation for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Diseases (FHOEMO), Spain , Manuel, Munoz-Torres Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SEEN), Spain , Maria Elena, Martinez-Rodriguez Spanish Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SERMEF), Spain , Carmen, Navarro-Ceballos Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SEGG), Spain , Jose, Sanfelix-Genoves Spanish Society of General Practitioners (SEMFyC), Spain , Maria Jesus, Cancelo-Hidalgo Spanish Association for Study of Menopause (AEEM), Spain , Pedro, Carpintero-Benitez Spanish Society for Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SEFRAOS), Spain , Manuel, Mesa-Ramos Spanish Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (SECOT), Spain , Santiago, Palacios-Gil Antunano International Society of Osteoporosis and Bone Mineral Metabolism (SIBOMM), Spain , Spanish and International Scientific
Abstract :
Introduction: Glucocorticoids taken orally increase the risk of fractures. It has been noted that a dose as low as 2.5 mg/day increases the risk of vertebral fracture. What is less clear is the possible influence of other risk factors for osteoporosis on the presence of non-vertebral fractures in patients taking glucocorticoids. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study, performed on 513 men and women from Spain, who were taking at least 7.5 mg/day of oral prednisone for a minimum of 3 months. A questionnaire was developed, through which information on risk factors was collected. Results: 28.3% of the patients who were taking glucocorticoids at a daily oral dose of 7.5 mg/ day for a minimum of 3 months had suffered at least one non-vertebral fracture. The risk increased with age, the number of months the glucocorticoids had been taken, the presence of falls in the last year and, above all, with a maternal history of hip fracture. Conclusions: In patients taking oral glucocorticoids for over 3 months at doses higher than 7.5 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent, the prevalence of non-vertebral fractures was 28.3%. Some risk factors associated with the presence of these fractures were identified. The duration of glucocorticoid use appears to be more strongly related to the presence of non-verte- bral fractures than the daily dose.
