| Theme |
Management of osteoporosis : an update |
| Title |
Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis |
| Author |
Yoshiya Tanaka |
The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan |
| [ Summary ] |
Glucocorticoids (GC) are widely used to treat a variety of diseases including autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases and kidney diseases. Approximately two million people in Japan are known to receive oral GC treatment. GC causes a number of significant side effects, including osteoporosis and a tendency to experience degenerative bone fractures. These are major complications of GC therapy. GC induces apoptosis of osteoblasts and osteocytes and prolongs lifespan of osteoclasts, resulting in a reduction of quality as well as quantity of bone. GC-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is the most common type of secondary osteoporosis. Fractures occur in 30-50 % of adult patients receiving long-term GC therapy. The Japanese Society of Bone and Mineral Research released updated guidelines on the management and treatment of GIO in 2014. Those guidelines were provided to aid physicians in decision-making for the management of GIO. |