[Long-term corticosteroid therapy as a risk factor of osteoporosis in patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis]

This work evaluates frequency of steroid induced osteoporosis according to kind of steroid drugs (systemic, inhaled), dose and duration of treatment. In group of 80 young patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis the following examinations have been used: biochemical markers of bone turnover, X-ray of thoracic lumbar part of vertebral column and bone density in quantitative computed tomography of vertebrae L2-L4. Osteoporosis appeared in patients chronically treated with systemic steroids (prednisone) and in patients treated with inhaled steroids in typical dose as well. Usefulness of biochemical markers of bone turnover in connection with quantitative computed tomography in diagnostic of steroid induced osteoporosis has been confirmed.