Osteoporosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk of osteoporosis because of their age, limited physical activity, low body mass index, smoking, hypogonadism, malnutrition, and use of corticosteroids. Systemic inflammation represents an additional pathomechanism contributing to the development of osteoporosis in COPD patients. Males in their mid to late 60s with a smoking history of greater than 60 pack-years have a prevalence rate of vertebral fractures similar to, and possibly greater than, postmenopausal women greater than or equal to 65 years old: in patients with severe COPD, up to 50-70% have osteoporosis or osteopenia, and up to 24-30% have compression vertebral fractures. Correlates of osteoporosis in COPD are mainly measures of body composition, disease severity and the use of corticosteroids, although causality has not been proven. Systemic corticosteroids remain the most common cause of drug-related osteoporosis, and a meta-analysis concluded that the use of more than 6.25 mg prednisone daily led to decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. In contrast, the effects of the long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids on BMD remain debatable. Effects of treatment of osteoporosis have not been investigated in samples consisting of COPD patients only but the recommendations follow the general recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. Early recognition of BMD loss is essential, and assumes close interdisciplinary cooperation between respirologists and reumatologists. Longitudinal follow-up to assess determinants of osteoporosis in COPD and randomised placebo-controlled trials on the effects of treatment of osteoporosis in patients with COPD only are warranted. In the future, novel therapeutical strategies such as monoclonal antibodies against osteoclasts activators may prove their beneficial effects in the treatment of COPD-related osteoporosis.