rss
Thorax 2000;55:375-382 doi:10.1136/thorax.55.5.375
  • Original article

Effect of one year treatment with inhaled fluticasone propionate or beclomethasone dipropionate on bone density and bone metabolism: a randomised parallel group study in adult asthmatic subjects

  1. T C Medicia,
  2. E Grebskia,
  3. M Häckib,
  4. P Rüegseggerc,
  5. C Madend,
  6. J Efthimiou on behalf of a Swiss study groupd
  1. aDepartment für Innere Medizin, Pneumologie Universitätsspital, Rämistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland, bGubelhangstrasse 6, 8050 Zürich, Switzerland, cBiomedizinische Technik und Medizinische Informatik, Universität Zürich, Switzerland, dRespiratory Clinical Research, Glaxo Wellcome R&D, Stockley Park, UK
  1. Professor T C Medici
  • Received 11 January 1999
  • Revision requested 8 April 1999
  • Revised 20 December 1999
  • Accepted 20 January 2000

Abstract

BACKGROUND There is some concern that prolonged treatment with high doses of inhaled corticosteroids may have a detrimental effect on bone mass. The aim of this one year study was to investigate the effects of low and high doses of fluticasone propionate (FP) (400 μg/day and 750 μg/day) and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) (800 μg/day and 1500 μg/day) on bone mass and metabolism.

METHODS This was a multicentre, double blind, parallel group study involving 69 mild to moderate asthmatic subjects who were randomised to treatment as follows: 22 to FP400, 21 to BDP800, 13 to FP750, and 13 to BDP1500. Their mean age was 39 years, 67% were men, and all the women were premenopausal.

RESULTS The results of peripheral quantitative computed tomographic (pQCT) measurements (primary variable) showed that, compared with baseline values, there was no loss of trabecular or integral (cortical and trabecular) bone in the distal radius or tibia in any of the patients over the 12 month study period. No consistent pattern emerged from the analysis of changes from baseline in markers of bone formation and resorption after six and 12 months of treatment.

CONCLUSION The results of this study provide reassuring prospective one year data showing that inhaled corticosteroids, in the range of doses used, had no adverse effects on bone mass and metabolism in this group of asthmatic patients.

Footnotes

  • Funding: This study was sponsored by a grant from Glaxo Wellcome Research and Development, UK.

  • Conflict of interest: none.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Register for free content


Free trial
Individuals may register for a free 60 day online trial to all content.

Free archive
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.