--- title: "Osteoporosis Rx prevalence in pts. on glucocorticoid drugs. | Sutter Health" description: "Despite ready availability of bone-specific osteoporosis drugs, few patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs received such therapy." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-rx-prevalence-in-pts-on-glucocorticoid-drugs-1055312733" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Osteoporosis Rx prevalence in pts. on glucocorticoid drugs. # Prevalence and determinants of osteoporosis drug prescription among patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs. Ettinger B, Chidambaran P, & Pressman A. _Am J Manag Care. 7(6):597-605._ 2001-06-01 ## Abstract OBJECTIVE: To investigate use of osteoporosis drugs among patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs.STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of pharmacy records. METHODS: We identified patients aged > or = 20 years who received prescriptions for > or = 2 g of prednisone (or equivalent) during any 12-month period between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, and who initiated use of osteoporosis-specific drugs (alendronate sodium, etidronate disodium, and calcitonin) during that period. RESULTS: Among 8807 patients who met study criteria, 772 (8.8%) received prescriptions for osteoporosis drugs. Prevalence of osteoporosis drug prescriptions increased linearly during the study and differed markedly by patient sex, age, and exposure to glucocorticoid drugs. Osteoporosis drugs were prescribed for 16.3% of women aged > or = 65 years, for 6.1% of women aged < 50 years, for 6.5% of men aged > or = 65 years, and for 2.2% of men aged < 50 years. Higher glucocorticoid exposure was also associated with higher rate of osteoporosis drug prescription (11.2% of patients exposed to > 4 g/y and 5.6% exposed to 2 to 3 g/y received such therapies). Osteoporosis drugs were 50% more likely to be prescribed by clinicians who prescribed glucocorticoid drugs to > 18 patients than by providers who prescribed glucocorticoid drugs to < 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite ready availability of bone-specific osteoporosis drugs, few patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs received such therapy. Likelihood of an osteoporosis drug being prescribed for such patients strongly depends on patient sex, age, and exposure to glucocorticoid drugs and on level of practitioner experience in prescribing glucocorticoid drugs. [PubMed abstract](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11439733/) ## Research topics - [Musculoskeletal Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%5C%22%22) - [Pharmacoepidemiology](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Pharmacoepidemiology%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Initiation of osteoporosis treatment after bone mineral density testing.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-tx-after-bone-mineral-density-testing-1055312705) Pressman A, Forsyth B, Ettinger B, Tosteson AN. Osteoporos Int. 12(5):337-42. 2001 May 01 - Publication ### [An unusual case of a fibular sesamoid phalangeal ligament tear due to chronic trauma.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/fibular-sesamoid-phalangeal-ligament-tear-fr-chronic-trauma-1055312381) Green JI, Kim PM, Levi MJ, Saxena A. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. doi: 10.7547/18-052. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2019 Jan 12 - Publication ### [Should sports injuries and surgeries be "POLICED"?](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/should-sports-injuries-and-surgeries-be-policed-1055312423) Saxena A. J Foot Ankle Surg. 56(5):916. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2017.06.012. 2017 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Ankle joint contact loads and displacement with progressive syndesmotic injury.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/ankle-joint-contact-loads-prog-syndesmotic-injury-1055312416) Hunt KJ, Goeb Y, Behn AW, Criswell B, Chou L. Foot Ankle Int. 36(9):1095-103. doi: 10.1177/1071100715583456. Epub 2015 May 6. 2015 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Isolated greater trochanteric fracture and the direct anterior approach using a fracture table.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/trochanteric-fx-and-anterior-approach-with-fx-table-1055312306) Hartford JM, Graw BP, Knowles SB, Frosch DL. J Arthroplasty. pii: S0883-5403(18)30199-2. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2018.02.051. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2018 Feb 21 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-rx-prevalence-in-pts-on-glucocorticoid-drugs-1055312733#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Osteoporosis Rx prevalence in pts. on glucocorticoid drugs."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-rx-prevalence-in-pts-on-glucocorticoid-drugs-1055312733#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Prevalence and determinants of osteoporosis drug prescription among patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs.","headline":"Osteoporosis Rx prevalence in pts. on glucocorticoid drugs.","abstract":"OBJECTIVE: To investigate use of osteoporosis drugs among patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs.STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of pharmacy records. METHODS: We identified patients aged > or = 20 years who received prescriptions for > or = 2 g of prednisone (or equivalent) during any 12-month period between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, and who initiated use of osteoporosis-specific drugs (alendronate sodium, etidronate disodium, and calcitonin) during that period. RESULTS: Among 8807 patients who met study criteria, 772 (8.8%) received prescriptions for osteoporosis drugs. Prevalence of osteoporosis drug prescriptions increased linearly during the study and differed markedly by patient sex, age, and exposure to glucocorticoid drugs. Osteoporosis drugs were prescribed for 16.3% of women aged > or = 65 years, for 6.1% of women aged \u003c 50 years, for 6.5% of men aged > or = 65 years, and for 2.2% of men aged \u003c 50 years. Higher glucocorticoid exposure was also associated with higher rate of osteoporosis drug prescription (11.2% of patients exposed to > 4 g/y and 5.6% exposed to 2 to 3 g/y received such therapies). Osteoporosis drugs were 50% more likely to be prescribed by clinicians who prescribed glucocorticoid drugs to > 18 patients than by providers who prescribed glucocorticoid drugs to \u003c 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite ready availability of bone-specific osteoporosis drugs, few patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs received such therapy. Likelihood of an osteoporosis drug being prescribed for such patients strongly depends on patient sex, age, and exposure to glucocorticoid drugs and on level of practitioner experience in prescribing glucocorticoid drugs.","description":"Despite ready availability of bone-specific osteoporosis drugs, few patients with high exposure to glucocorticoid drugs received such therapy.","keywords":["Musculoskeletal Disorders","Pharmacoepidemiology"],"datePublished":"2001-06-01","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-rx-prevalence-in-pts-on-glucocorticoid-drugs-1055312733","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"11439733"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11439733/"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Am J Manag Care"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ettinger B"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Chidambaran P"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Pressman A"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Musculoskeletal Disorders","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Pharmacoepidemiology","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Pharmacoepidemiology%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-rx-prevalence-in-pts-on-glucocorticoid-drugs-1055312733","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/osteoporosis-rx-prevalence-in-pts-on-glucocorticoid-drugs-1055312733#breadcrumblist"}}} ```