A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (October 2000) reported that adults over the age of 60 who used corticosteroids for longer than six months had an increased risk of developing spinal deformities. Corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for autoimmune and other inflammatory conditions and are known to contribute to bone demineralization and increased risk of osteoporosis.
The study included 515 men and women over the age of 60. Of these participants, 229 had taken corticosteroids for more than six months, while the remaining subjects had not used long-term steroid therapy. The researchers found a clear association between corticosteroid use and the degree of spinal deformity.
Notably, the relationship between steroid use and spinal deformity extended beyond what could be explained by bone density loss alone, suggesting that corticosteroids may affect spinal structure through additional mechanisms.
