Corticosteroid Use and Long-Term Changes in Weight and Waist Circumference: The Lifelines Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
This study demonstrates that CS use, including locally administered forms, is associated with long-term increases in weight and WC, notably in female individuals and those with overweight or obesity. Discontinuing CS was linked to reductions in WC. These findings underscore the need to carefully assess chronic systemic and local CS use, as discontinuation could benefit obesity-related outcomes in certain patients.
Study context
- Population
- Lifelines Cohort Study participants; mean age 46.3 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 26.0 kg/m², 41% male, mean follow-up 3.9 years
- Participants
- 81,361 participants
- Exposure
- New corticosteroids (CS) use vs nonuse
- Outcome
- Weight and WC changes
- Follow-up
- Mean 3.9 years
Methodological detailspopulation-based, linear regression, sensitivity analyses stratified by sex and BMI
- Population-based
- Linear regression
- Sensitivity analyses stratified by sex and BMI
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
β
.034 kg/year
P = 0.021
any new CS use
β
.037 kg/year
P = 0.017
new local CS use
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | β (cm/year) | P value |
|---|---|---|
| WC change with new systemic CS useNew systemic CS | .200 | P < 0.001 |
Waist circumference (WC) change after CS discontinuation
- Discontinuation of CS: β −.078 cm/year, P = .028
Subgroups by sex and BMI
- Effects particularly in female participants and BMI ≥25 kg/m², not in male participants and BMI < 25 kg/m²
Short-term weight change after CS initiation · weeks after initiation
- Short-term weight-inducing effects of CS not observed
CS users during study period
- CS users
- 23.8%
Original publication
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