title: Effect of glucocorticoid withdrawal on glucocorticoid inducing bone impairment.
abstract: Glucocorticoid (GC) withdrawal after a short-term use was common in clinical practice like immediate post-transplant period. However, previous studies without setting age-control group failed to determine whether the BMD recovery was sufficient and whether it is necessary to accept anti-osteoporosis therapy after GC withdrawal. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of GC withdrawal on bone impairment in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) rats. Twenty-four female Sprague-Dawley rats (3 months' old) were randomly divided into two treatment groups: an untreated age-control group (Con, n = 12); another group receiving a dexamethasone injection (DEXA, n = 12). Animals in the Con group were euthanized at 3rd month (M3) and 6th month (M6), respectively. Six rats in the DEXA group were euthanized at 3rd month (M3), whereas GC intervention was withdrew in the remaining animals of DEXA group, which were euthanized at the end of 6th month (M6). Bone mass, bone microarchitecture, biomechanical properties of vertebrae, morphology, serum levels of PINP and β-CTX were evaluated. Compared with the Con(M3) group, the Con(M6) group showed significantly better bone quantity, morphology and quality. Compared with the Con(M3) group, the DEXA (M3) group showed significantly lower BMC, BMD, BS/TV, BV/TV, Tb.N, Tb.Th, vBMD, bone strength, compressive displacement, energy absorption capacity, PINP levels, β-CTX levels, and damaged trabecular morphology. And the same change trend was observed in the comparison between the Con(M6) group and DEXA (M6) group. Compared with the DEXA (M3) group, the DEXA (M6) group showed significantly higher BMC, BMD and AREA, but no significant difference in BS/TV, BV/TV, SMI, Tb.N, Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, vBMD, bone strength, bone stiffness, compressive displacement, energy absorption capacity, PINP levels, β-CTX levels, and improvement in trabecular morphology was observed. These results indicate that the reverse effect of GC withdrawal for 3 months on bone impairment in GIOP rats was insufficient, which implied that related anti-osteoporosis treatment might be still necessitated after GC withdrawal in clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China. Electronic address: 15920198161@163.com.
authors.forename: Gengyang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China. Electronic address: renhuispine@163.com.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: De
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Qiushi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Zhida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Zhensong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China; Laboratory Affiliated to National Key Discipline of Orthopaedic and Traumatology of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China. Electronic address: spinedrjxb@sina.com.
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*; D019245:Compressive Strength / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids
keywords: Bone impairment; GC withdrawal; GIOP