Effect of prednisone on growth and bone mineral content in childhood glomerular disease
R. W. Chesney, R. B. Mazess, P. Rose and D. K. Jax
Children with acquired glomerular disease were divided into two groups:
Group 1 patients received short-term daily or long-term alternate-day
prednisone (up to 2.7 mg/kg/48 hr); group 2 patients received no
corticosteroids. Height, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone density were
evaluated in the two groups and compared to those of 800 sex- and
age-matched controls; BMC and bone density were assessed by the photon
absorption technique. Significant demineralization was present in 18 of 25
prednisone-treated and none of the 17 nonprednisone-treated patients (P
less than .001). Group 1 patients were 5.3 +/- 0.7% shorter than controls,
while group 2 patients were only 1.9 +/- .8% shorter (P less than .02).
Height velocity was 2.6 +/- 0.8 cm/yr in group 1 and 5.1 +/- 0.8 cm/yr in
group 2 patients (P less than .05). When prednisone therapy was
discontinued, six patients had an increase in height and BMC toward normal
values. This study suggests that BMC and height velocity are correlated.
Both appear to be influenced by alternate-day prednisone therapy rather
than by glomerular disease per se.
