Influence of prednisolone-induced osteoporosis on bone mass and bone quality of the mandible in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of steroid treatment on the mandible.


METHODS
We divided 24 male Fisher rats, aged 10 weeks, into 2 groups: a control group (n = 11) and a prednisolone (Pred) treatment group (n = 13). The dose for the Pred group was 40 mg kg(-1) and was administered orally three times per week for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, we measured bone mass, bone strength and trabecular structure of the mandible and femur.


RESULTS
Pred treatment decreased cortical bone mineral content (BMC), cortical thickness, stress/strain index and tissue volume of the mandible. However, there were no marked changes in trabecular structure parameters. A strong correlation was seen between mandibular and femoral cortical BMC (r = 0.71).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that steroid treatment decreases the cortical BMC, bone area and bone strength of the mandible.
Kozai
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Kanagawa Dental College, Kanagawa, 238-8580, Japan. kozai@kdcnet.ac.jp
Kawamata
R
R
Sakurai
T
T
Kanno
M
M
Kashima
I
I
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000187:drug effects*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone