Inhaled Corticosteroids Raise Hip Fracture Risk

A large study of older patients who used inhaled corticosteroids has found the use associated with a dose-related increase in hip fracture. The study was published in the December 15, 2002, issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Researchers studied 16, 341 cases of hip fracture versus 29,889 controls. The median age was 79, and 79% of the participants were female. Data for all prescriptions for corticosteroids and other drugs were extracted and the impact of inhaled corticosteroid exposure was analyzed using conditional logistic regression. The results showed that the risk of hip fracture was associated with exposure to inhaled corticosteroids with an odds ratio of 1.26.

The researchers, led by Richard B. Hubbard, D.M., of the University of Nottingham (UK), said patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma should take no higher dose of inhaled corticosteroids than is
needed to control their airflow obstruction. Prior research had shown that use of 1,200 mcg per day of inhaled corticosteroids caused a reduction in the bone-mineral density in the lower lumbar spine and femur.





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Univ. of Nottingham