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Epidural steroid injection not associated with osteoporotic fracture
Researchers found low bone mineral density and older age, but not epidural steroid injections correlated with osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women with low back pain, according to this study.
The investigators conducted a retrospective study of 352 postmenopausal women with low back pain and divided them into two groups, patients with fractures and patients without fractures. Outcome measures included bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total femur after treatment, any fragility fractures and anatomical sites involved.
Overall, 62% of patients had no fractures. Patients with no fractures were older and had lower bone mineral densities. Patients with fractures had higher incidences of osteoporosis.
The researchers found no association between BMD and the average number of epidural steroid injections, total dose of the injections or the duration of the injections.
Disclosure: The researchers had no relevant financial disclosures.