Chest
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It is uncertain whether long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs), widely used to treat COPD, increases the risk of fracture, particularly in women, in view of the postmenopausal risks. We assessed whether long-term ICS use in patients with COPD increases the risk of hip or upper extremity fractures, and examined sex-related differences. ⋯ Long-term ICS use at high doses is associated with a modest increase in the risk of hip and upper extremity fractures in patients with COPD. This dose-duration risk increase does not appear to be higher for women.