No association between inhaled corticosteroids and whole body DXA in postmenopausal women

PURPOSE: Postmenopausal women treated with corticosteroids are regarded as a high-risk group due to the effect of both natural bone loss and possible adverse effects of treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (IC). OBJECTIVE: To compare bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women exposed only to IC (IC group, n = 106) with that of BMD in women not exposed to corticosteroids (n = 124) and women exposed to oral and/or intra-articular injections in addition to inhaled corticosteroids (OC group, n = 31). The women were recruited from a population-based prospective cohort study. METHODS: Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technique was used to measure BMD in whole body, spine, pelvis and lower extremities. A health questionnaire and an interview about past and present medication use were used. RESULTS: The mean duration and dose of IC were 9.5 +/- 4.5 years and 615 microg daily. Whole body BMD did not significantly differ between the IC group (1.103 g/cm(2)) and the unexposed group (1.087 g/cm(2)). Within the IC group, BMD stratified for cumulative dose of IC, duration or current dose above or below 800 microg did not differ. Z-score BMD for tertiles did not differ when comparing the IC and OC groups. CONCLUSION: No difference in BMD was noted between postmenopausal women exposed to inhaled corticosteroids and unexposed controls nor was there any dose response relationship between inhaled corticosteroid therapy and BMD.