Topical Corticosteroids and Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis—Cumulative Dose and Duration Matter

Glucocorticoids are used by an estimated 0.5% to 1.0% of adults for management of a range of conditions, from allergies and inflammatory diseases to cancer.¹ Glucocorticoid use increases with age: more than 3% of adults older than 50 years and 5.2% older than 80 years use glucocorticoids.² Despite the availability of a growing number of medications to modulate immune function and/or inflammation, evidence from the Danish National Patient Registry suggests that the prevalence of glucocorticoid use has remained remarkably stable for 17 years (1999-2016).³ Thus, any noteworthy adverse effects associated with glucocorticoid use could have substantial consequences not only for the individual, but also for public health.