Osteoporosis in COPD patients: Risk factors and pulmonary rehabilitation

OBJECTIVES: To present a review on the pathogenesis, risk factor and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with osteoporosis and provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment. DATA SOURCE: A systematic search is carried out using keywords as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, risk factors, and pulmonary rehabilitation. RESULTS: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a high prevalence of osteoporosis and a high risk of fracture. The mechanisms of osteoporosis in COPD patients are associated with general risk factors, such as smoking, reduced physical activity, low weight, and disease-specific risk factors, such as systemic inflammatory, Vitamin D deficiency, use of glucocorticoid, anemia, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia. The treatment of osteoporosis in COPD emphasizes comprehensive intervention, which mainly include basic treatment and anti-osteoporosis drugs. Noticeably, pulmonary rehabilitation program is an important part of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This work summarizes the pathogenesis, risk factor, prevention, and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with osteoporosis, and the latest progress of studies on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and osteoporosis is discussed.