Fracture risk assessment three months after initiation of glucocorticoid therapy useful, recommends study

These results indicate that even lower doses and shorter durations of GC therapy than previously understood can significantly elevated fracture risk.

The study concludes that GC exposure during the first 90 days of therapy is a crucial period where fracture risk is dose-dependent. This illuminates the importance of early fracture risk assessment by recommending that such evaluations should be conducted three months after the initiation of GC therapy. The findings suggest that clinicians need to be careful in monitoring and managing fracture risk from the outset of GC treatment, even at lower doses.

This research provides strong evidence to reassess current practices regarding GC therapy. With the established link between early GC exposure and increased fracture risk, the proactive measures, including bone health assessments and preventive strategies should be prioritized to reduce the long-term impact on patients.

Source: 

Iki, M., Fujimori, K., Nakatoh, S., Tamaki, J., Ishii, S., Okimoto, N., Imano, H., & Ogawa, S. (2024). Average daily glucocorticoid dose, number of prescription days, and cumulative dose in the initial 90 days of glucocorticoid therapy are associated with subsequent hip and clinical vertebral fracture risk: a retrospective cohort study using a nationwide health insurance claims database in Japan. In Osteoporosis International (Vol. 35, Issue 5, pp. 805–818). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-024-07023-6