title: Quantitative ultrasound of the heel and serum and urinary cortisol values in assessment of long-term corticotherapy side effects in female bronchial asthma patients.
abstract: Female asthma patients (26) with and without corticotherapy were studied. The control group included 19 healthy women. Skeletal status was assessed by ultrasound measurement of the heel (Achilles, Lunar, Madison, WI, USA) and serum and urinary corisol expressed adrenal function. Ultrasound and hormonal values were significantly lower in patients treated with glucocorticosteroids (GC) than in controls. In patients without GC, cortisol parameters were normal and ultrasound measurements were moderately diminished. 57% of women with and 33% of women without GC-therapy had an ultrasound T-score less than -2.5. Decrease of ultrasound values estimated by linear regression in relationship to time of asthma duration was highest in women with GC therapy. Several significant coefficients of correlation between ultrasound and adrenal function parameters were noted only in patients treated with GC. These data suggest that bone and endocrinological side effects due to steroid therapy in asthma patients show similar trends. Results obtained in present study require further longitudinal investigations.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Pathophysiology, Silesian Medical Academy, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kos-Kudła
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pluskiewicz
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006365:Heel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide; D006854:Hydrocortisone