HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shah, S. K. Articles by Gecys, G. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shah, S. K. Articles by Gecys, G. T.

From the Department of Surgery (Dr Shah), University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and the Department of Family Medicine (Dr Gecys), University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–School of Osteopathic Medicine (UMDNJ-SOM) in Stratford, where the study was completed.

Address correspondence to Gintare T. Gecys, DO, Department of Family Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–School of Osteopathic Medicine, University Doctors Pavilion, 42 E Laurel Rd, Suite 2100, Stratford, NJ 08084–1354. E-mail: gecysgt{at}umdnj.edu or shahs7{at}gmail.com

Context: Glucocorticoids are used for a variety of medical conditions. This class of drugs is arguably the most common cause of iatrogenic osteoporosis, but studies have shown that physicians are not investigating and treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Objective: To determine whether primary care physicians (osteopathic and allopathic) are evaluating and treating adult patients at risk for osteoporosis secondary to long-term prednisone use.

Methods: Electronic medical records from three primary care practices (family medicine, geriatric medicine, and internal medicine) were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who were taking at least 2.5 mg of prednisone per day for 8 weeks or longer. Records were then grouped according to whether patients had undergone bone mineral density screening and had been given therapy to prevent or treat bone loss. Whether patients had comorbid risk factors for secondary osteoporosis (according to the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement on Osteoporosis) was noted to determine whether treatment was given because of prednisone use or because of the comorbid risk factors. Statistical analysis was performed using a Pearson product moment correlation 2-tailed ² test.

Results: The medical records of 49 patients met inclusion criteria (19 men, 30 women; mean age, 61 years; age range, 21–89 years). A statistically significant difference was found in physician evaluation practices for patients with vs patients without comorbid risk factors (82.1% vs 38.1%; P=.002).

Conclusion: Primary care physicians do not routinely evaluate patients for osteoporosis secondary to glucocorticoid treatment, especially when patients do not have comorbid risk factors for osteoporosis.