Risk of Fractures and Falls during and after 5-α Reductase Inhibitor Use: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Associations between osteoporosis and drug exposure: A post-marketing study of the World Health Organization pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase®)

BACKGROUND

Bone remodeling is a complex process, and many conditions (including drug exposure) lead to osteoporosis. Here, we sought to detect new disproportionality signals for drugs associated with osteoporosis.

METHODS

We performed a disproportionality analysis of the World Health Organization's VigiBase® pharmacovigilance database through April 12, 2020. The frequency of reports on osteoporosis for all identified drug classes was compared with that for all other drugs and quoted as the reporting odds ratio (ROR) [95% confidence interval (CI)].

RESULTS

Of the 7,594,968 cases spontaneously recorded to VigiBase®, 4758 concerned osteoporosis. New disproportionality signals with a pharmacologically plausible mechanism were found for drugs used in neurology (levodopa (ROR [95%CI]: 10.18 [4.33-25.10]), selective serotonin agonists (4.22 [2.34-7.00]) and memantine (4.10 [1.56-8.93])), hematology (romiplostim (4.93 [1.15-21.10])), pulmonology (macitentan (3.02 [1.84-4.90])), ophthalmology (ranibizumab (3.31 [1.00-10.51])) and rheumatology (tofacitinib (3.65 [3.00-4.40])). The robustness of these new results is supported by the significant RORs for the vast majority of drugs already known to induce osteoporosis and/or increase the fracture risk, namely glucocorticoids, gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs, anti-aromatases, androgen receptor blockers, thyroid hormones, proton pump inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, vitamin K antagonists, loop diuretics, protease inhibitors, nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and enzyme-inducing antiepileptics including barbiturates and derivatives, hydantoin derivatives, carboxamide derivatives and fatty acid derivatives.

CONCLUSION

We established up a comprehensive list of drugs potentially associated with osteoporosis and highlighted those with pharmacologically plausible mechanisms leading to bone fragility. Our results might pave the way for additional exploration of these mechanisms.

The role of 5-reduction in physiology and metabolic disease: evidence from cellular, pre-clinical and human studies

The 5-reductases (5α-reductase types 1, 2 and 3 [5αR1-3], 5β-reductase [5βR]) are steroid hormone metabolising enzymes that hold fundamental roles in human physiology and pathology. They possess broad substrate specificity converting many steroid hormones to their 5α- and 5β-reduced metabolites, as well as catalysing crucial steps in bile acid synthesis. 5αRs are fundamentally important in urogenital development by converting testosterone to the more potent androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5αDHT); inactivating mutations in 5αR2 lead to disorders of sexual development. Due to the ability of the 5αRs to generate 5αDHT, they are an established drug target, and 5αR inhibitors are widely used for the treatment of androgen-dependent benign or malignant prostatic diseases. There is an emerging body of evidence to suggest that the 5-reductases can impact upon aspects of health and disease (other than urogenital development); alterations in their expression and activity have been associated with metabolic disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, inflammation and bone metabolism. This review will outline the evidence base for the extra-urogenital role of 5-reductases from in vitro cell systems, pre-clinical models and human studies, and highlight the potential adverse effects of 5αR inhibition in human health and disease.

Testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, bone density, and hip fracture risk among older men: The Cardiovascular Health Study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the relationships of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a more potent androgen than testosterone (T), with bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk. Our objectives were to evaluate the relationships of T, DHT and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) with BMD, fracture risk, and lean body mass (LBM).

METHODS

We evaluated 1128 older men free of cardiovascular disease in a prospective cohort study using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study. T and DHT were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and SHBG by fluoroimmunoassay. Our outcomes included incident hip fracture (n = 106) over a median of 10.2 years and BMD and LBM by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (n = 439).

RESULTS

In Cox regression models mutually adjusted for T, SHBG, and covariates, each standard deviation increment in DHT (0.23 ng/ml) was associated with a 26% lower risk of hip fracture (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55-1.00, p = 0.049). Similarly, SHBG was associated with fracture in mutually adjusted models (aHR HR 1.26, 95% CI, 1.01-1.58, p = 0.045). In contrast, T (aHR, 1.16, 95% CI, 0.86-1.56, p = 0.324) was not significantly associated with fracture in mutually adjusted models. T, DHT and SHBG were not associated with BMD. T and DHT were both positively associated with LBM in individual models.

CONCLUSIONS

In older men, DHT was inversely associated with hip fracture risk and SHBG was positively associated with hip fracture risk, while T was not. Future studies should elucidate the mechanisms by which DHT affects bone health.

The contribution of serum cortisone and glucocorticoid metabolites to detrimental bone health in patients receiving hydrocortisone therapy

BACKGROUND

Glucocorticoid therapy is the most common cause of iatrogenic osteoporosis. Less is known regarding the effect of glucocorticoids when used as replacement therapy on bone remodelling in patients with adrenal insufficiency. Enhanced intracellular conversion of inactive cortisone to active cortisol, by 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1(11β-HSD1) and other enzymes leading to alterations in glucocorticoid metabolism, may contribute to a deleterious effect on bone health in this patient group.

METHODS

Study design: An open crossover prospective study randomizing ten hypopituitary men, with severe ACTH deficiency, to three commonly used hydrocortisone dose regimens.

MEASUREMENTS

Following 6 weeks of each regimen, patients underwent 24-h serum cortisol/cortisone sampling, measurement of bone turnover markers, and a 24-h urine collection for measurement of urinary steroid metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Serum cortisone and cortisol were analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

RESULTS

Dose-related and circadian variations in serum cortisone were seen to parallel those for cortisol, indicating conversion of ingested hydrocortisone to cortisone. The median area under the curve (AUC) of serum cortisone was significantly higher in patients on dose A (20 mg/10 mg) [670.5 (IQR 621-809.2)] compared to those on dose C (10 mg/5 mg) [562.8 (IQR 520.1-619.6), p = 0.01]. A negative correlation was observed between serum cortisone and bone formation markers, OC [1-49] (r = - 0.42, p = 0.03), and PINP (r = - 0.49, p = 0.01). There was a negative correlation between the AUC of night-time serum cortisone levels with the bone formation marker, OC [1-49] (r = - 0.41, p = 0.03) but there were no significant correlations between day-time serum cortisone or cortisol with bone turnover markers. There was a negative correlation between total urinary cortisol metabolites and the bone formation markers, PINP (r = - 0.39, p = 0.04), and OC [1-49] (r = - 0.35, p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

Serum cortisol and cortisone and total urinary corticosteroid metabolites are negatively associated with bone turnover markers in patients receiving replacement doses of hydrocortisone, with nocturnal glucocorticoid exposure having a potentially greater influence on bone turnover.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Irish Medicines Board Clinical Trial Number - CT900/459/1 and EudraCT Number - 2007-005018-37 . Registration date: 07-09-2007.

A population-based study of the risk of osteoporosis and fracture with dutasteride and finasteride

Background

Dutasteride is a potent inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase enzymes that reduces concentrations of dihydrotestosterone to a greater extent than finasteride. Whether this has adverse implications for bone health is unknown. We compared the risk of osteoporosis and fractures in older men treated with dutasteride or finasteride.

Methods

We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study with high-dimensional propensity score matching of Ontario men aged 66 years or older who started treatment with dutasteride or finasteride between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2012. The primary outcome was a diagnosis of osteoporosis within 2 years of treatment initiation. A secondary outcome was osteoporotic or fragility fractures.

Results

We studied 31,615 men treated with dutasteride and an equal number of men treated with finasteride. Dutasteride-treated patients had a lower incidence of osteoporosis than those receiving finasteride [2.2 versus 2.6 per 100 person years; hazard ratio (HR) 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72 to 0.93]. This effect was no longer statistically significant following adjustment for specialty of prescribing physician (HR 0.90; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.02)]. There was no differential risk of fractures with dutasteride (HR 1.04; 95% 0.86 to 1.25).

Conclusions

Despite differential effects on 5-alpha reductase, dutasteride is not associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis or fractures in older men relative to finasteride. These findings suggest that dutasteride does not adversely affect bone health.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12891-018-2076-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Drug exposure in register-based research-An expert-opinion based evaluation of methods

Background

In register-based pharmacoepidemiological studies, construction of drug exposure periods from drug purchases is a major methodological challenge. Various methods have been applied but their validity is rarely evaluated. Our objective was to conduct an expert-opinion based evaluation of the correctness of drug use periods produced by different methods.

Methods

Drug use periods were calculated with three fixed methods: time windows, assumption of one Defined Daily Dose (DDD) per day and one tablet per day, and with PRE2DUP that is based on modelling of individual drug purchasing behavior. Expert-opinion based evaluation was conducted with 200 randomly selected purchase histories of warfarin, bisoprolol, simvastatin, risperidone and mirtazapine in the MEDALZ-2005 cohort (28,093 persons with Alzheimer’s disease). Two experts reviewed purchase histories and judged which methods had joined correct purchases and gave correct duration for each of 1000 drug exposure periods.

Results

The evaluated correctness of drug use periods was 70–94% for PRE2DUP, and depending on grace periods and time window lengths 0–73% for tablet methods, 0–41% for DDD methods and 0–11% for time window methods. The highest rate of evaluated correct solutions for each method class were observed for 1 tablet per day with 180 days grace period (TAB_1_180, 43–73%), and 1 DDD per day with 180 days grace period (1–41%). Time window methods produced at maximum only 11% correct solutions. The best performing fixed method TAB_1_180 reached highest correctness for simvastatin 73% (95% CI 65–81%) whereas 89% (95% CI 84–94%) of PRE2DUP periods were judged as correct.

Conclusions

This study shows inaccuracy of fixed methods and the urgent need for new data-driven methods. In the expert-opinion based evaluation, the lowest error rates were observed with data-driven method PRE2DUP.

Plasma mitochondrial DNA levels were independently associated with lung injury in elderly hip fracture patients

INTRODUCTION

Hip fracture in the elderly can induce systemic inflammatory response (SIRS) and lung injury which increases the risk of lung infection and death. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) plays a role in SIRS and lung injury in patients with multi-trauma, and also in patients with hip fractures. This study evaluated the potential value of plasma mtDNA in the early prognosis of lung injury in elderly fracture patients.

METHODS

This study enrolled 156 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture. Plasma mtDNA, IL-6, IL-10, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were measured at admission. Sixty-one and 31 patients were diagnosed with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and lung injury, respectively.

RESULTS

Plasma mtDNA levels were higher in hip fracture patients compared to healthy controls (P<0.001) and significantly higher in the lung injury subgroup compared to the lung injury absent subgroup (P<0.001). MtDNA levels were correlated with the SIRS score (r=0.446, P<0.001), IL-6 (r=0.506, P<0.001), IL-10 (r=0.523, P<0.001), and PGE2 (r=0.360, P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that plasma mtDNA, IL-6, PGE2 and SIRS score were independent predictors of the risk of lung injury.

CONCLUSION

Plasma mtDNA release induced by hip fracture in elderly patients, might be an early predictor of lung injury in these patients.