TITLE:
Osteonecrosis: The perils of steroids. A review of the literature and case report
AUTHORS:
Ben J. Brooker, Prue P. A. Keith
KEYWORDS:
Osteonecrosis; Corticosteroids; Steroids; Avascular Necrosis of Bone
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.1 No.2,
December
27,
2012
ABSTRACT: Non-traumatic osteonecrosis is a cause of joint pain and deformity, not uncommonly caused by corticosteroid use. Despite this, corticosteroid induced osteonecrosis is poorly represented in the literature. We performed a detailed review of corticosteroid induced osteonecrosis, including aetiology, prevention, screening, clinical presentation, investigations, staging systems and treatment. We present this in the context of a patient at our institution who developed bilateral hip, shoulder and knee osteonecrosis following high dose corticosteroid therapy for dermatomyositis.