Glucocorticoids Promote Osteoclast Survival

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS · Dec 12, 2007

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Aminobisphosphonates are extensively used to prevent fractures in patients with osteoporosis (1-6). Treatment with these drugs leads to decreases in bone resorption and biochemical markers of bone turnover and progressive increases in bone mineral density (BMD). The increase in BMD in response to bisphosphonate therapy in glucocorticoid-treated patients is, however, less than half that measured in women and men with osteoporosis unrelated to glucocorticoid drugs even though the patients with osteoporosis are usually older. The goal of this objective is to determine the contribution of incre...

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. 18 years old or greater
• • 2. agree to at least one bone biopsy
• • 3. agree to BMD, blood and urine tests
• • 4. receiving at least 10 mg/day of prednisone for at least three months
• • 5. either be a candidate for alendronate or be taking alendronate (70 mg/week for at least three months)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. any metabolic bone disorder such as Paget's disease, renal osteodystrophy, parathyroid disease or osteomalacia
• • 2. obesity enough to make a biopsy difficult
• • 3. concurrent use of any tetracycline
• • 4. hypercalcemia
• • 5. kidney stones in the last two years
• • 6. home O2
• • 7. gastric surgery, stapling or bypass
• • 8. inflammatory bowel disease
• • 9. untreated thyroid disease
• • 10. organ transplants
• • 11. malabsorption
• • 12. anticoagulation
• • 13. current infection
• • 14. serious illness
• • 15. allergy to Demerol, Valium, iodine, tetracycline, tape
• • 16. use of anticonvulsant drugs, heparin, Forteo, calcitonin or high-dose fluoride within the past six months