[Vitamin K2 as a potential therapeutic agent for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis]

Most of the guidelines for management of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) recommend bisphosphonates as therapeutic agents. However, bisphosphonates have a gastrointestinal side effect, and a potential risk for pregnant women and children. Moreover, an efficacy of combination therapy with proved drugs for GIOP remains to be clarified. An analog of vitamin K(2) reduced the fracture risk independent from the bone mineral densities in GIOP. Since GIOP induced bone fracture even in the high bone mass, the vitamin K(2) analog should be an effective therapeutic agent for GIOP through increasing bone strength without an increase in bone mineral density.