Pharmacologic Treatments to Preserve Bone and Muscle Mass in Osteosarcopenia

We aim to recast the diagnosis of osteosarcopenia in light of its pathophysiology rather than of the age at which it is diagnosed. We will consider why we think the diagnosis of osteosarcopenia is missed in those who are not elderly and why pharmacologic treatment based on pathophysiology rather than age may provide a more comprehensive treatment for patients with the condition.

We will present recent findings on the pathogenesis of osteosarcopenia from two distinct groups of patients which will highlight why pathophysiology is of paramount importance in designing treatment. We will show that in patients with cancer and burns, muscle catabolic factors are released from bone on resorption, exert a paracrine effect on muscle to cause catabolism, and can be prevented with the use of anti-resorptive drugs. New uses for anti-resorptives may result from these findings.