Abstract

A REVIEW OF REDUCED BONE HEALTH IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENTS

Akshayadas V. P.*, Sareena A. and Dr. Abdul Samad M.V

Abstract

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive inflammatory disease of the airways with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. COPD is associated with various comorbidities of which osteoporosis is a significant one. Reduced bone health (osteoporosis or/and osteopenia) is very common in COPD patients and has a significant impact on morbidity, mortality and economic burden. However such reduced bone health is often undiagnosed in COPD patients. Decreased bone mineral density and bone quality contribute to fragility fractures that worsen the respiratory function and further reduce the quality of life of the COPD patients. Routine screening of bone health enables the physician to identify osteoporosis and osteopenia at an early stage and can reduce the chance of osteoporotic fractures. Thus management of comorbidities should be incorporated into the management of COPD which will improve the outcome in COPD patients. Various risk factors, such as tobacco smoking, older age, low physical activity, vitamin D deficiency, low Body Mass Index (BMI) and use of oral or inhaled corticosteroids are considered to be responsible for osteoporosis or/and osteopenia in COPD patients. This review focuses on the prevalence of reduced bone health in COPD patients and some of the risk factors involved in the development of such reduced bone health.

Keywords: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, Bone Mineral Density (BMD).