Bone density in myasthenia gravis patients receiving long-term prednisolone therapy.
Osteoporosis is an adverse effect of prednisolone therapy, although no study has been conducted on myasthenia gravis patients receiving high-dose prednisolone. We measured bone density in 36 patients (26 females and 10 males) who had undergone long-term prednisolone administration, and found a decrease in bone density in 31% of female patients and osteoporosis in only 11.5% (three cases). This frequency is lower than the presumptive rate of the general population in Japan (22.6%). No osteoporosis was detected in male patients. In conclusion, prednisolone-treated patients with myasthenia gravis have an acceptable risk of bone loss if prophylactic medication is administered.
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University School of Medicine, 2-17-6 Ohashi, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8151, Japan. waka@oha.toho-u.ac.jp
Nobuo
N
Wakata
Hiroshi
H
Nemoto
Hideki
H
Sugimoto
Nobuatu
N
Nomoto
Shingo
S
Konno
Norihide
N
Hayashi
You
Y
Araki
Atushi
A
Nakazato
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012306:Risk
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011239:Prednisolone