“…The ability of corticosteroid hormones to inter-ber of osteocytes in femoral heads and showed fere with the host defence mechanism against signs of avascular necrosis in the bone. Ininfection is well documented (for general ref-creased serum levels of corticosteroid hormones erence see Thomas 1953, Katler & Weissmann have also been associated with osteoporosis in 1977), but corticosteroid hormones also in-man and in laboratory animals (Applebaum & fluence e.g, the metabolic activity of fibroblasts Seelig 1955, Caniggia & Gennari 1973, (Pratt & Aronow 1966, Berliner & Nabors 1967 The potential of corticosteroid hormones to Elders et al 1977, Saarni et al 1978, and influence the inflammatory reaction and host decrease the synthesis of both collagen and defence against infection in general suggests matrix components (Kivirikko 1963, Dietrich et that long-term administration of such horal. 1979), mones may interfere with the development and Fisher et al, (1971Fisher et al, ( , 1972 and Cruess et al, progression of plaque-associated gingivitis and (1975) reported that, in comparison to normal periodontal disease (Waterhouse 1969), From controls, patients who had been on systemic experiments in animals and observations in corticosteroid therapy following kidney trans-humans, it has been suggested that the adminiplantation appeared to have a diminished num-stration of corticosteroids may result in an increased osteoporosis of alveolar bone (Glickman et al 1953, Glickman & Schklar 1955, Dreizen et al 1971), a reduced number of osteoblasts and decreased bone tissue formation (Labelle & Schaffer 1967).…”