SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2005

10/25/05

Alendronate therapy effects on bones in corticosteroids-treated children

Summary
Background - Chronic oral corticosteroids (OCS) therapy, necessary in a small percentage of childhood asthmatics has been associated with adverse effects on bone growth and density.

Findings - Rudge et al of the Univ of Auckland in New Zealand, compared the effects of once weekly alendronate (Al, 1-2 mg/kg weight), a bis-phosphonate, vs placebo in children with a variety of chronic illnesses being treated with daily OCS.

After one year of this trial, the authors found that bone growth and mineral content increased to a similar degree in the Al-treated and placebo-treated children. However, volumetric bone density and mechanical strength increased significantly in only the Al-treated children. Urine N-telopeptide excretion (a marker of bone mineral turnover) was suppressed in the Al-treated but not in the placebo-treated children.

The Al treatment was well tolerated without adverse effects. The authors concluded that Al treatment suppresses bone resorption and may improve volumetric bone density in the lumbar spine as well as femoral mechanical strength of children treated chronically with OCS.

Reference
Rheumatology 2005;44:813-18

Editor's Comments
Although this study was not focused on asthmatic children treated chronically with OCS, I feel that these findings may well be relevant to asthmatics who require chronic OCS therapy. As the authors pointed out, larger controlled studies are required to determine if these findings are indicative of a reduced likelihood of corticosteroid-induced fractures.

 

<-- BACK