Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is bone loss and skeletal fragility caused by prolonged exposure to glucocorticoid hormones or medications. It can increase fracture risk even when bone mineral density is not severely reduced.

Osteoblast: A bone-forming cell that produces the matrix on which mineralized bone is built. Glucocorticoids reduce osteoblast formation and activity, weakening bone formation.
Glucocorticoid therapy: Treatment with glucocorticoid medicines to suppress inflammation or immune activity. Dose and duration of this treatment shape the risk of skeletal harm.
Osteoporosis: A skeletal disorder characterized by reduced bone strength and increased susceptibility to fracture. Glucocorticoid exposure produces a secondary form of this broader disorder.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis: Bone loss after menopause, driven in large part by declining estrogen levels. Its dominant hormonal driver differs from the direct and indirect effects of glucocorticoids.
Osteocyte: A mature bone cell embedded in the mineralized matrix that senses mechanical forces and coordinates remodeling. Glucocorticoids can impair osteocyte survival, contributing to fragile bone.
Fracture risk assessment tool: A clinical instrument that estimates a person's probability of sustaining an osteoporotic fracture. Risk assessment helps guide prevention for people receiving long-term glucocorticoids.
Vertebral compression fracture: A fracture in which a vertebral body collapses, often after weakened bone fails under ordinary loads. Vertebral fractures are a frequent and sometimes silent consequence of glucocorticoid-related bone fragility.
Age-related osteoporosis: Skeletal fragility associated with aging, involving changes in bone quantity, quality, and remodeling. It can coexist with glucocorticoid exposure but has a different underlying context.
Osteoclast: A multinucleated cell that breaks down bone tissue during skeletal remodeling. Glucocorticoids can increase early bone resorption by promoting osteoclast activity.
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry: An imaging method that estimates bone mineral density using two X-ray energy levels. It measures bone density, though glucocorticoid-related fracture risk may exceed what density alone suggests.

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