Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lems, W. F.
Right arrow Articles by Bijlsma, J. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lems, W. F.
Right arrow Articles by Bijlsma, J. W.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 37, 27-33, Copyright © 1998 by British Society for Rheumatology

ORIGINAL PAPERS

Effect of low-dose prednisone (with calcium and calcitriol supplementation) on calcium and bone metabolism in healthy volunteers

WF Lems, GJ Van Veen, MI Gerrits, JW Jacobs, HH Houben, HJ Van Rijn and JW Bijlsma
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Utrecht University Hospital, The Netherlands.

The administration of moderate to high doses of corticosteroids is associated with bone loss. This probably results from the uncoupling of bone formation (decreased) and bone resorption (unchanged or increased). We examined the effect of low-dose (10 mg/day) prednisone (LDP) and the possible mitigating effects of calcium and 1.25 (OH)2 vitamin D (calcitriol) on calcium and bone metabolism in eight healthy, young male volunteers. The study consisted of four observation periods: in the first period, LDP was prescribed during 1 week; in the second, third and fourth periods, calcium (500 mg/day), calcitriol (0.5 micrograms b.i.d.) and calcium in combination with calcitriol, respectively, were added to LDP. Bone formation was measured by means of serum osteocalcin, carboxy-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1CP) and alkaline phosphatase, bone resorption by means of urinary excretion of calcium, hydroxyproline, (free and total) pyridinoline, (free and total) deoxypyridinoline and serum carboxy-terminal cross- linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen (1CTP). Dietary calcium and sodium intake were maintained at a stable level during the entire study period. Treatment with LDP led to a decrease in osteocalcin, P1CP and alkaline phosphatase (all P < 0.01). Urinary excretion of pyridinolines, hydroxyproline and serum 1CTP did not increase, but remained unchanged or slightly reduced (P < 0.05), depending on the time of measurement and the marker of bone resorption. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) (insignificantly) increased during LDP (+19%) and LDP plus calcium (+14%), but decreased during supplementation with calcitriol (-16%) and calcium/calcitriol (-44%; P < 0.01). Urinary excretion of calcium increased during treatment with LDP and calcitriol (P < 0.05) and calcium/calcitriol (P < 0.05). It is concluded that LDP has a negative effect on bone metabolism, since bone formation decreased while bone resorption remained unchanged or decreased slightly. The increase in PTH during LDP could be prevented by calcitriol combined with calcium supplementation.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol.Home page
S. Huybers, T. H. J. Naber, R. J. M. Bindels, and J. G. J. Hoenderop
Prednisolone-induced Ca2+ malabsorption is caused by diminished expression of the epithelial Ca2+ channel TRPV6
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): G92 - G97.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.