[Bone mineral content in patients with bronchial asthma]

To study the factors related to bone mineral content (BMC) in patients with bronchial asthma (BA), we measured BMC of the whole body, bone mineral density (BMD) in the second, third, and fourth lumbar vertebrae (by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA XR-26, Norland), and pulmonary function in patients with BA. Subjects were 103 patients with BA and 194 age-matched normal controls. There was no significant difference in BMC or BMD between patients with BA and controls. In patients with BA, there was no significant difference in BMC or BMD between those who were taking steroids and those who were not. BMC and BMD were significantly correlated with age, body weight, VC, %VC, and FEV1, but not with the duration of steroid administration or the total steroid dose administered. These results suggest that patients with BA have normal BMC and that steroid administration does not affect bone mineral loss in such patients.