The results of this meta-analysis demonstrate that the use of BZD, especially short-acting BZD, is associated with a moderate and clinically significant increase in fracture risk. However, large prospective studies that minimize selection bias are necessary to determine a more accurate fracture risk associated with BZD use.

No abstract

Level II: low-powered prospective randomized trial.

Estrogen appears to be a regulator of sclerostin, and the effect may involve suppressing MEF2s. Combined treatment with PTH and estrogen is not more beneficial for vertebral bone mass and strength than treatment with PTH alone in ovariectomized rats.

Our and others' previous studies have shown that Schistosoma japonicum (SJ) infection can inhibit allergic reactions. Moreover, we found that adoptive transfer of dendritic cells (DCs) from inhibited mice showed a similar inhibitory effect on allergy, suggesting a critical role of DCs in SJ-infected mediated inhibition of allergy. In this study, we further examined the mechanism by which DCs contribute to inhibition of allergy. Our results showed that DCs from SJ-infected mice (SJDCs) produced significantly higher levels of IL-10 compared to those from naive control mice (NDCs). Adoptive transfer of SJDCs, unlike NDCs, significantly increased CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+CD25+IL-10+ T cells regulatory T-cell responses in vivo. This was correlated with significantly reduced production of IL-4 and IL-5 by CD4+ T cells, eotaxin in lung tissues and reduced airway allergic inflammation in the SJDC recipients following allergen sensitization and challenge. These data suggest that helminth infection may induce tolerogenic DCs that can inhibit the development of airway allergic inflammation through enhancing T regulatory cell responses.