The complications of systemic corticosteroid therapy in the elderly. A retrospective study.
The complications of long-term corticosteroid therapy were reviewed in 100 elderly patients who were treated for chronic obstructive airways disease (n = 76), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 19) and ulcerative colitis (n = 5). The incidence of side effects was high (40%) and appeared to be dose-related. Osteoporosis (16%) and hypertension (12%) were the most common. Hypokalaemia occurred infrequently despite the fact that 69 patients were also prescribed diuretics. A further group of 36 patients receiving corticosteroids for polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis also seemed to demonstrate a dose-related effect on the incidence of complications although this could not be confirmed statistically.
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000188:drug therapy; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D011239:Prednisolone