Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: an update of Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (2020)

A comprehensive review on glucocorticoids induced osteoporosis: A medication caused disease

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones that are extensively used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and cancer. The major ill effect of administering GCs is that it has a deleterious effect on bone, which leads to GC-induced osteoporosis. GC therapy induces bone loss and is associated with the risk of nonvertebral and vertebral fractures, as it works in combination by increasing bone reabsorption and suppressing bone formation during the initial phase of therapy. It is seen and established that GC in excess or in low dose for 3 months or more can be a risk factor for fracture, and the risk increases with an increase in dose and duration of usage. The most common cause of secondary osteoporosis is the administration of GC inside the body to treat various diseases. The degree of bone loss is directly proportional to the GC dose and the exposure duration. The first step is to evaluate the patients' risk factors for the development of glucocorticoids that induce osteoporosis, which include the dose, duration of use, patient age, sex, previous fractures, and other medical conditions.

II Brazilian Society of Rheumatology consensus for lupus nephritis diagnosis and treatment

OBJECTIVE

To develop the second evidence-based Brazilian Society of Rheumatology consensus for diagnosis and treatment of lupus nephritis (LN).

METHODS

Two methodologists and 20 rheumatologists from Lupus Comittee of Brazilian Society of Rheumatology participate in the development of this guideline. Fourteen PICO questions were defined and a systematic review was performed. Eligible randomized controlled trials were analyzed regarding complete renal remission, partial renal remission, serum creatinine, proteinuria, serum creatinine doubling, progression to end-stage renal disease, renal relapse, and severe adverse events (infections and mortality). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to develop these recommendations. Recommendations required ≥82% of agreement among the voting members and were classified as strongly in favor, weakly in favor, conditional, weakly against or strongly against a particular intervention. Other aspects of LN management (diagnosis, general principles of treatment, treatment of comorbidities and refractory cases) were evaluated through literature review and expert opinion.

RESULTS

All SLE patients should undergo creatinine and urinalysis tests to assess renal involvement. Kidney biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing LN but, if it is not available or there is a contraindication to the procedure, therapeutic decisions should be based on clinical and laboratory parameters. Fourteen recommendations were developed. Target Renal response (TRR) was defined as improvement or maintenance of renal function (±10% at baseline of treatment) combined with a decrease in 24-h proteinuria or 24-h UPCR of 25% at 3 months, a decrease of 50% at 6 months, and proteinuria < 0.8 g/24 h at 12 months. Hydroxychloroquine should be prescribed to all SLE patients, except in cases of contraindication. Glucocorticoids should be used at the lowest dose and for the minimal necessary period. In class III or IV (±V), mycophenolate (MMF), cyclophosphamide, MMF plus tacrolimus (TAC), MMF plus belimumab or TAC can be used as induction therapy. For maintenance therapy, MMF or azathioprine (AZA) are the first choice and TAC or cyclosporin or leflunomide can be used in patients who cannot use MMF or AZA. Rituximab can be prescribed in cases of refractory disease. In cases of failure in achieving TRR, it is important to assess adherence, immunosuppressant dosage, adjuvant therapy, comorbidities, and consider biopsy/rebiopsy.

CONCLUSION

This consensus provides evidence-based data to guide LN diagnosis and treatment, supporting the development of public and supplementary health policies in Brazil.

Threshold based on bone mineral density for therapeutic decision-making in postmenopausal women and men over 50 years old under glucocorticoid therapy

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

T-score bone mineral density (BMD) thresholds may influence guidance for treatment in patients under glucocorticoid (GC) therapy. Different BMD thresholds have been described but there is no international consensus. The aim of this study was to find a threshold to help in treatment decision-making in the population under GC therapy.

METHODS

A working group representing three scientific societies from Argentina was convened. The first team was formed by specialists with expertise in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) who voted according to summary of evidence. The second team was constituted by a methodology group who coordinated and supervised each stage. We conducted two systematic reviews to synthesize the evidence. The first included trials of drugs used in GIO to analyze the BMD cut-off used as inclusion criteria. In the second, we analyzed the evidence regarding the densitometric thresholds to discriminate between fractured and non-fractured patients under GC treatment.

RESULTS

In the first review, 31 articles were included for qualitative synthesis and more than 90% of the trials included patients regardless of their densitometric T-score or range of osteopenia. In the second review, 4 articles were included and more than 80% of the T-scores were in the range -1.6 to -2.0. The summary of findings was analyzed and put to a vote.

CONCLUSIONS

With more than 80% agreement of the voting expert panel, a T-score≤-1.7 was considered the most appropriate for treatment in postmenopausal women and men over 50 years of age under GC therapy. This study could help in treatment decision-making in patients under GC therapy without fractures but other fracture risk factors should certainly be considered.

Symptomatic fractures in systemic sclerosis: A case-control study

This case-control study analyzed risk factors for symptomatic fractures in a group of 52 patients with systemic sclerosis compared with a group of 104 patients without fractures, matched for sex and age, who were attended at a single systemic sclerosis outpatient clinic from 2010 to 2020. Fractures affected predominantly vertebral (65.4%), rib (13.5%), and hip (7.7%) joints, while the mean age of fracture was 55.3 ± 9.5 years. Age at disease onset, age at diagnosis, disease duration, age at menarche, and age at menopause were similar in both groups, and 58.9% of the patients were menopausal at the time of the fracture. The presence of fractures had a significant association with densitometric osteoporosis (p < 0.001), lower weight (p = 0.032), and bone mineral index (p = 0.044), anti-RNA polymerase III (p = 0.040), use of corticosteroids (p = 0.019), and bisphosphonates (p < 0.001), as well as with densitometric T-scores of lumbar spine (p < 0.001), femoral neck (p = 0.025), and total hip (p = 0.013). Multivariate analysis showed that the variables significantly associated with fractures were high doses of corticosteroids (odds ratio = 4.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.290-13.090; p = 0.017), bisphosphonates (odds ratio = 3.91; 95% confidence interval = 1.699-8.984; p = 0.001), negative anti-Scl70 (OR = 0.34; 95% confidence interval = 0.124-0.943; p = 0.038), and lumbar T-score (odds ratio = 0.39; 95% confidence interval = 0.034-0.460; p = 0.010). In conclusion, symptomatic fractures were associated predominantly with lower bone mineral density of lumbar spine and use of high doses of corticosteroids and bisphosphonates in this cohort.

Pulsed electromagnetic fields as a promising therapy for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is considered the third type of osteoporosis and is accompanied by high morbidity and mortality. Long-term usage of glucocorticoids (GCs) causes worsened bone quality and low bone mass via their effects on bone cells. Currently, there are various clinical pharmacological treatments to regulate bone mass and skeletal health. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) are applied to treat patients suffering from delayed fracture healing and non-unions. PEMFs may be considered a potential and side-effect-free therapy for GIOP. PEMFs inhibit osteoclastogenesis, stimulate osteoblastogenesis, and affect the activity of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), osteocytes and blood vessels, ultimately leading to the retention of bone mass and strength. However, the underlying signaling pathways via which PEMFs influence GIOP remain unclear. This review attempts to summarize the underlying cellular mechanisms of GIOP. Furthermore, recent advances showing that PEMFs affect bone cells are discussed. Finally, we discuss the possibility of using PEMFs as therapy for GIOP.

Definition and management of very high fracture risk in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: a position statement from the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SBEM) and the Brazilian Association of Bone Assessment and Metabolism (ABRASSO)

Several drugs are available for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Over the last decades, most patients requiring pharmacological intervention were offered antiresorptive drugs as first-line therapy, while anabolic agents were considered a last resource for those with therapeutic failure. However, recent randomized trials in patients with severe osteoporosis have shown that anabolic agents reduce fractures to a greater extent than antiresorptive medications. Additionally, evidence indicates that increases in bone mineral density (BMD) are maximized when patients are treated with anabolic agents first, followed by antiresorptive therapy. This evidence is key, considering that greater increases in BMD during osteoporosis treatment are associated with a more pronounced reduction in fracture risk. Thus, international guidelines have recently proposed an individualized approach to osteoporosis treatment based on fracture risk stratification, in which the stratification risk has been refined to include a category of patients at very high risk of fracture who should be managed with anabolic agents as first-line therapy. In this document, the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Brazilian Association of Bone Assessment and Metabolism propose the definition of very high risk of osteoporotic fracture in postmenopausal women, for whom anabolic agents should be considered as first-line therapy. This document also reviews the factors associated with increased fracture risk, trials comparing anabolic versus antiresorptive agents, efficacy of anabolic agents in patients who are treatment naïve versus those previously treated with antiresorptive agents, and safety of anabolic agents.

Osteosarcopenia in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Which Pathophysiologic Implications for Rehabilitation?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a burdensome condition affecting a growing number of people worldwide, frequently related to major comorbidities and functional impairment. In these patients, several factors might have a role in promoting both bone and muscle loss, including systemic inflammation, corticosteroid therapies, sedentary behaviours, deconditioning, malnutrition, smoking habits, and alcohol consumption. On the other hand, bone and muscle tissues share several linkages from functional, embryological, and biochemical points of view. Osteosarcopenia has been recently defined by the coexistence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia, but the precise mechanisms underpinning osteosarcopenia in patients with COPD are still unknown. In this scenario, a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of osteosarcopenia might guide clinicians in a personalized approach integrating skeletal muscle health with the pulmonary rehabilitation framework in COPD. Taken together, our results summarized the currently available evidence about the multilevel interactions between osteosarcopenia and COPD to pave the way for a comprehensive approach targeting the most common risk factors of these pathological conditions. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of modern clinical strategies and telemedicine solutions to optimize healthcare delivery in patients with COPD, including osteopenia, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia screening in these subjects.

Evidence based Latin American Guidelines of clinical practice on prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis. A 2022 update : This manuscript has been produced under the auspices of the Committee of National Societies (CNS) and the Committee of Scientific Advisors (CSA) of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF)

Guidelines and recommendations developed and endorsed by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) are intended to provide guidance for particular pattern of practice for physicians who usually prescribe glucocorticoid (GC) therapy, and not to dictate the care of a particular patient. Adherence to the recommendations within this guideline is voluntary and the ultimate determination regarding their application should be made by the physician in light of each patient's circumstances. Guidelines and recommendations are intended to promote a desirable outcome but cannot guarantee any specific outcome. This guideline and its recommendations are not intended to dictate payment, reimbursement or insurance decisions. Guidelines and recommendations are subjected to periodic revisions as a consequence of the evolution of medicine, technology and clinical practice. A panel of Latin American (LATAM) experts specialized in osteoporosis with recognized clinical experience in managing patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) met to produce evidence-based LATAM recommendations for the diagnosis and management of GIO. These guidelines are particularly intended to general practitioners and primary care physicians who prescribe GC treatments in LATAM to guide their daily clinical practice in terms of evaluation, prevention and treatment of GIO. These recommendations were based on systematic literature review using MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS and COCHRANE Library database during the period from 2012 to 2021. Randomized clinical trials (RCT), systematic reviews of RCT, controlled observational studies, guidelines and consensus were considered. Based on the review and expert opinion the panel members voted recommendations during two successive rounds of voting by panel members. Agreements for each statement were considered if a concordance of at least 70% was achieved following Delphi methodology. Grading of recommendations was made according to the Oxford Centre for the Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) criteria. Among five GIO guidelines and consensus initially identified, two of them (American College of Rheumatology 2017 and the Brazilian Guidelines 2021) were selected for comparison considering the latter as the most current guides in the LATAM region. Based on this methodology fifty statements were issued. All of them but four (1.20, 1.21, 1.23 and 4.2) attained agreement.

Zuogui Pill Ameliorates Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis through ZNF702P-Based ceRNA Network: Bioinformatics Analysis and Experimental Validation

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is a musculoskeletal disease with increased fracture risk caused by long-term application of glucocorticoid, but there exist few effective interventions. Zuogui Pill (ZGP) has achieved clinical improvement for GIOP as an ancient classical formula, but its molecular mechanisms remain unclear due to scanty relevant studies. This study aimed to excavate the effective compounds and underlying mechanism of ZGP in treating GIOP and construct relative ceRNA network by using integrated analysis of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Results show that ZNF702P is significantly upregulated in GIOP than normal cases based on gene chip sequencing analysis. Totally, 102 ingredients and 535 targets of ZGP as well as 480 GIOP-related targets were selected, including 122 common targets and 8 intersection targets with the predicted mRNAs. The ceRNA network contains one lncRNA (ZNF702P), 6 miRNAs, and 8 mRNAs. Four hub targets including JUN, CCND1, MAPK1, and MAPK14 were identified in the PPI network. Six ceRNA interaction axes including ZNF702P-hsa-miR-429-JUN, ZNF702P-hsa-miR-17-5p/hsa-miR-20b-5p-CCND1, ZNF702P-hsa-miR-17-5p/hsa-miR-20b-5p-MAPK1, and ZNF702P-hsa-miR-24-3p-MAPK14 were obtained. By means of molecular docking, we found that all the hub targets could be effectively combined with related ingredients. GO enrichment analysis showed 649 biological processes, involving response to estrogen, response to steroid hormone, inflammatory response, macrophage activation, and osteoclast differentiation, and KEGG analysis revealed 102 entries with 36 relative signaling pathways, which mainly contained IL-17 signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, the PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, Estrogen signaling pathway, and Wnt signaling pathway. Our experiments confirmed that ZNF702P exhibited gradually increasing expression levels during osteoclast differentiation of human peripheral blood monocytes (HPBMs) induced by RANKL, while ZGP could inhibit osteoclast differentiation of HPBMs induced by RANKL in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, by regulating inflammatory response, osteoclast differentiation, and hormone metabolism, ZGP may treat GIOP by regulating hub target genes, such as JUN, CCND1, MAPK1, and MAPK14, and acting on numerous key pathways, which involve the ZNF702P-based ceRNA network.

Nutritional recommendations for patients undergoing prolonged glucocorticoid therapy

Glucocorticoid (GC) therapy is a common treatment used in rheumatic and autoimmune diseases, owing to its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. However, GC therapy can also induce a number of adverse effects, including muscle and bone loss, hypertension, metabolic perturbations and increased visceral adiposity. We review available evidence in this area and provide nutritional recommendations that might ameliorate these adverse effects. Briefly, optimizing calcium, vitamin D, sodium and protein intake and increasing consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods, while decreasing the consumption of ultra-processed foods, might counteract some of the specific challenges faced by these patients. Importantly, we identify a dearth of empirical data on how nutritional intervention might impact health-related outcomes in this population. Further research is required to investigate the clinical and therapeutic efficacy of these theory-based recommendations.

Challenges in the diagnosis and management of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in younger and older adults

OBJECTIVE

Glucocorticoids constitute a considerable risk for developing osteoporosis in both younger and older adults. However, currently available bone imaging modalities and fracture-risk assessment tools do not adequately capture the dramatic changes in bone microarchitecture, heterogeneity of glucocorticoid exposure, the impact of chronic disease and other osteoporosis risk factors on the assessment of osteoporosis in these individuals.

DESIGN

A narrative review is presented, following a systematic search of the literature from 2000 to 2021.

RESULTS

Our current appreciation of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is focused on older populations, with limited evidence to guide the investigation, risk assessment and treatment in premenopausal women and men less than 50 years. The impact of the underlying chronic disease on secondary osteoporosis in these younger adults is also poorly understood.

CONCLUSION

Through this narrative review, we provide a comprehensive overview of and recommendations for optimising the management of this common cause of secondary osteoporosis younger and older adults.