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Acute effects of deflazacort and prednisone on rates of mineralization and bone formation

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Abstract

The aims of this study were to determine (1) whether acute suppression of bone formation could be evaluated after the administration of corticosteroids in man by quantitative bone histomorphometry; and (2) whether there were significant differences between the effects of prednisone and its analog deflazacort. Thirteen patients who needed high-dose corticosteroid therapy were randomly allocated to two groups of treatment (prednisone or deflazacort). Quantitative bone histomorphometry, using the technique of triple labeling, and biochemical measurements of bone turnover were studied. There were no differences in biochemical indices of bone turnover between prednisone and deflazacort at the beginning and end of the 15 days of treatment course. During corticosteroid treatment, there were no significant changes in biochemical indices of bone turnover but a significant decline in total alkaline phosphatase (P<0.01). Histomorphometric indices, as revealed by measurements of tetracycline interval and extent of labeling, showed no significant differences in either mineral apposition rate or bone formation rate in the two groups. We conclude that the acute glucocorticoid suppression of bone turnover by glucocorticoids is not detectable within the first 2 weeks of treatment by histomorphometric techniques. No differences in bone effects of prednisone and deflazacort were detected in this short-term study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Semeiotica e Nefrologia Medica, Medicina Interna “D”, Ospedale Policlinico, 37134, Verona, Italy

    V. Lo Cascio, S. Adami & G. Poggi

  2. Cattedra di Statistica Medica, Istituto di Igiene, Università de Verona, Italy

    M. E. Zanolin

  3. WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Disease, Department of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry, University of Sheffield Medical School, UK

    J. A. Kanis, M. N. C. Beneton & F. Bertoldo

Authors
  1. V. Lo Cascio
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  2. J. A. Kanis
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  3. M. N. C. Beneton
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  4. F. Bertoldo
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  5. S. Adami
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  6. G. Poggi
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  7. M. E. Zanolin
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Lo Cascio, V., Kanis, J.A., Beneton, M.N.C. et al. Acute effects of deflazacort and prednisone on rates of mineralization and bone formation. Calcif Tissue Int 56, 109–112 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296340

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296340

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