AB0960 Efficacy and safety of oral low dose glucocorticoids in patients with estrogen hormone dependent primary osteoarthritis

Background Estrogen hormone dependent osteoarthritis (EDPOA) is presented in peri-menopausal age women. Their manifestations are polyarticular pain with common co-morbidities (carpal tunnel syndrome, insomnia, fatigue, depression and fibromyalgia). Based on dual role of glucocorticoids (GC) (trophic action on the chondrocyte and anti-inflammatory effect we conducted this work. Objectives to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low doses of GC to control both the joint pathology condition as well the co-morbidities associated with EDPOA. Methods A prospective interventional cohort study was conducted. A hundred peri-menopausal women treated between July 2008 and July 2011 with diagnostic of EDPOA. Prednisolone at an initial dosage of 5 mgr/day was used. The patients were evaluated every month, and according to the clinical course of steroid dose it was reduced. The outcome measures used to determine response (at onset and at the end of the study) were tender joint counts, visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess pain, symptoms or signs presented or absent associated to co-morbidities (carpal tunnel syndrome, insomnia, fatigue, depression and fibromyalgia). The doses reduction or withdrawal of GC and NSAID was evaluated too. This study has been approved by the Fundaciόn Valle del Lili ethics committee. Data was analyzed using STATA version 11.0 for Windows and statistical significance was taken to be p