Physician's awareness of the prevention of corticosteroid induced osteoporosis.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2007-01-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Corticosteroid induced osteoporosis (CIO) is a preventable condition that is often not realized by physicians who prescribe corticosteroids. The present study was carried out to study the awareness of CIO prevention in a teaching hospital.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records of patients who received corticosteroids equivalent to prednisolone of > or = 5 mg/day for a minimum of 3 months between 1 May 2004 and 30 June 2004 were reviewed.
RESULTS: Four hundred and forty nine patients of 1,540 who received corticosteroids (29.1%) were included in the present study. Rheumatologists, nephrologists, and dermatologists were the top three specialists to prescribe corticosteroids in 189 (42.1%), 103 (23.0%), and 46 (10.2%) cases, respectively. Only 146 patients (32.5%) received calcium supplement. Rheumatologists and neurologists were the top two specialists to prescribe calcium supplementation in 100 of 189 (52.9%) and 13 of 36 (36.1%) cases, respectively. Bone mineral density measurement was determined in only 26 of the 449 patients (5.8%).
CONCLUSION: Prevention of CIO is still neglected by internal medicine specialists, even in a teaching hospital. An educational campaign for physicians is warranted to improve the practice for the prevention of this treatable complication.
Description
Chotmaihet Thangphaet.
Keywords
Citation
Ungprasert S, Wangkaew S, Louthrenoo W. Physician's awareness of the prevention of corticosteroid induced osteoporosis. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. 2007 Jan; 90(1): 59-64