Health
Corticosteroids-fracture risk dispelled
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 19, 2004
Canadian investigators concluded that the long-term use of inhaled or nasal corticosteroids at recommended doses is not associated with a higher risk of fractures.
Safety concerns have been expressed about long-term use of these drugs, especially in regard to the potential resulting increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Clinical studies have shown that accelerated resorption of bone occurs at all doses of the drug.
But the new study, published in the January American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, suggests that corticosteroids used at current recommended doses are safe.
Researchers at Royal Victoria Hospital and McGill University Health Center in Montreal examined data from 133,026 patients older than 65 who used certain respiratory medications at normal doses for four years or more. They compared the rate of fracture of prescription users to 191,622 age-matched controls and found no difference.
"Only the use of more than 2,000 micrograms of inhaled corticosteroids per day for an average of six years was associated with an elevated risk of fracture," said Samy Suissa, PhD, of Royal Victoria Hospital. "This means that 58 subjects would need to be treated with more than 2,000 micrograms of inhaled corticosteroids per day for six years to result in one extra fracture."
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/01/19/hlbf0119.htm.
