title: [Bone loss during low dose glucocorticoid treatment in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica. A double-blind, prospective comparison between prednisolone and deflazacort].
abstract: The aim of the study was to compare the long term effects of low dosage prednisolone or deflazacort treatment on bone mass in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica. The subjects were 30 patients with newly diagnosed polymyalgia rheumatica, who were allocated to treatment with prednisolone or deflazacort. Bone Mineral Content (BMC) was measured in the lumbar spine (L-BMC) and distal forearm (A-BMC) before treatment and three, six and 12 months after the start of treatment. After three months the decrease in L-BMC was significantly greater in the deflazacort group than in the prednisolone group (p < 0.05), but at six and 12 months there was not a significant difference between the two groups. There was a significant loss of BMC in all patients after 12 months: a 6.4% loss in L-BMC and a 1.8% loss in A-BMC. In conclusion, this low dose study failed to reveal any calcium sparing property of deflazacort compared with prednisolone.
authors.affiliation: Medicinsk afdeling, Diakonissehuset Sanki Lukas Stiftelsens Hospital, Hellerup.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Krogsgaard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thamsborg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011282:Pregnenediones; D011239:Prednisolone; C021988:deflazacort
vernacular_title: Knogletab under lavdosis-glukokortikoidbehandling hos patienter med polymyalgia rheumatica. En dobbeltblind, prospektiv sammenligning mellem prednisolon og deflazacort.