Researching osteoporosis in prednisone treated sarcoid patients.

Eighty-four normal subjects, 5 untreated sarcoid patients and 32 sarcoid patients under chronic prednisone therapy were submitted to Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) for Vertebral Cancellous Mineral Content (VCMC) evaluation. In the five untreated and in the 84 normal subjects, VCMC (given in mg/cm3) fell in the normal range found elsewhere. 22 of the 32 treated patients had lower than normal values. Osteoporosis (expressed through cancellous mineral loss) increased significantly (P less than .01) with increasing dose x time of prednisone therapy. We conclude that the bone loss is far more frequent than suspected in prednisone treated patients with sarcoidosis; yearly QCT could be a good tool for monitoring patients under chronic therapy.