Year: 2005
Type: editorial
Abstract: When should we suspect osteoporosis in patients with chronic airways disease?The pathogenesis of osteoporosis in patients with chronic lung diseases is not fully understood and it probably is multifactorial.Reduced physical activity, weight loss and in particular the loss of skeletal muscle mass, smoking, hormonal imbalance, chronic systemic inflammation and treatments with corticosteroids contribute to the loss of bone mineral density and fractures.' -8 The occurrence of fractures increases the morbidity and mortality in a group of patients with an already impaired quality of life due to chronic breathing diffi- culties.In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at least one vertebral fracture was found in 48.7% of patients never exposed to corti- costeroids, 57.1% of those who received inhaled corticosteroids and 63.3% if taking systemic corticost- eroids.9Thoracic vertebral fractures with wedging and hyperkyphosis were associated with 10% loss of forced vital capacity in elderly women.10A trend towards a lower FVC has been reported in patients with COPD and severe multiple vertebral fractures.'1
Source: Chronic Respiratory Disease
Author: A A Ionescu
Institutions: University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff University
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2059932004