Kubo, M., Onishi, H., Kuroki, S., Okido, M., Shimada, K., Yokohata, K., . . . Katano, M. (2012). Short-term and low-dose prednisolone administration reduces aromatase inhibitor–induced arthralgia in patients with breast cancer. Anticancer Research, 32, 2331–2336.
To determine whether short-term and low-dose prednisolone reduces aromatase inhibitor (AI)–induced arthralgias in patients with breast cancer
Prednisolone 5 mg was administered to women once daily in the morning for one week.
Patients were undergoing active antitumor treatment.
The study was a prospective intervention clinical trial.
Joint symptoms improved in 67% of patients immediately after prednisolone, 63% continued to report relief at one month, and 52% at two months. Thirty percent of patients reported an improvement in daily life at one week and one month and 26% at two months.
Results suggest that a low dose of 5 mg of prednisolone given for one week at the initiation of AI therapy can relieve arthralgias in some patients.
While this study suggests that AI-related pain can be reduced in patients with breast cancer using prednisolone, randomized controlled trials are needed that reflect longer follow-up and adverse event monitoring. Insufficient evidence exists to recommend practice implementation.