title: A population-based nested case-control study: the use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and the increased risk of osteoporosis diagnosis in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) are the potent androgen responsible for the development and enlargement of the prostate gland by decreasing dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This results in inhibition of the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and markedly suppresses serum dihydrotestosterone levels. Testosterone replacement therapy improves bone density in men with hypogonadal osteoporosis. This study explores the possible association between the use of two typical 5ARIs (finasteride and dutasteride) and the subsequent risk of osteoporosis diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified 1352 osteoporosis diagnosis cases and 5387 control cases without osteoporosis diagnosis from the claims data for patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), which are collected in the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Four controls were frequency matched to each case according to age (every 5 years) and diagnosis date. We measured the effect of 5ARIs and determined the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a 1·52-fold increase in osteoporosis diagnosis among patients with BPH using finasteride (95% CI, 1·01-2·30). Furthermore, a dosage analysis showed that higher doses of finasteride were associated with higher osteoporosis diagnosis risk (OR = 1·68; 95% CI, 1·01-2·81), relative to the patients not using 5ARIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This population-based nested case-control study suggests that the use of finasteride can increase the risk of osteoporosis diagnosis among patients with BPH. The effects were more prominent in patients using higher doses of finasteride.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Ling
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yow-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Cheng-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Fung-Chang
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Chieh-Hsi
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chia-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018120:Finasteride / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D018120:Finasteride