Effects of Inhaled Corticosteroids on Bone Mineral Density, Bone Formation and Resorption Markers and Quality of Life Tests in Postmenopausal Women With Asthma

Subject: To assess the effects of inhaled glucocorticosteroids on bone mineral density, bone formation and resorption markers and quality of life in postmenopausal women with asthma. Materials and Methods: Patients with asthma using inhaled steroids for more than 3 months and controls who had no asthma and not received steroids were randomly recurited. The exclusion criteria for both groups were having a disease known to affect bone metobolism or using such a drug, having autoimmun diseases. Disease duration, daily and cumulative inhaled steroid doses were noted. Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT) were performed in patients. Bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), osteocalcin, _ cross laps and 24-hours urinary Ca/creatinine ratio were evaluated. Lumbar vertebral radiographies were performed to assess the vertebral fracture. The quality of life were assessed by the SF36 and WHOQOL-BREF. Mann Whitney U, Spearman correlation test and chi-squared test were used for statistical analysis. p<0,05 was accepted as significant. Results: Both of the patient and the control groups consisted of 15 patients. The mean age of patients and controls were 51,87 (SD:4,63) and 54,33 (SD:4,61) respectively. There was no significant difference between the demographic and clinical data between the groups. BAP level was found significantly lower in asthma patients. There were no significant correlation between BMD, T, Z scores and duration, daily and cumulative doses of the inhaled glucocorticodteroids. There was no difference between the groups regarding the quality of life scores. The negative correlation was found between the disease duration and the pain (SF-36) and general health perception (SF-36). There was a negative correlation between the duration of the inhaled steroid and the WHOQOL psychological score. Conclusion: Inhaled steroids were not found significantly effective on BMD, T and Z scores in postmenopausal patients with asthma. However, BAP levels being significantly lower in asthma patients leads to a consideration that inhaled steroids inhibit osteoblastic functions. The similar quality of life levels in patients and controls may be interpreted as the positive effect of inhaled steroids on the quality of life in asthma patients.