How Activity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Influences Bone Loss

Orlic, Zeljka Crncevic; Turk, Tamara; Sincic, Brankica Mijandrusic; Stimac, Davor; Cvijanovic, Olga; Maric, Ivana; Tomas, Maja Ilic; Jurisic-Erzen, Dubravka; Licul, Vanja; Bobinac, Dragica

doi:10.1016/j.jocd.2009.12.002

« Previous Next »Journal of Clinical Densitometry
Volume 13, Issue 1 , Pages 36-42, January 2010

How Activity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Influences Bone Loss

Zeljka Crncevic Orlic
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
- Address correspondence to: Zeljka Crncevic Orlic, M.D., Ph.D., Endocrinology Department, Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Rijeka, KBC Rijeka, Kresimirova 42, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia, Europe.
Tamara Turk
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Brankica Mijandrusic Sincic
- Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Davor Stimac
- Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Olga Cvijanovic
- Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Ivana Maric
- Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Maja Ilic Tomas
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Dubravka Jurisic-Erzen
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Vanja Licul
- Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Dragica Bobinac
- Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia

Received 22 March 2009; received in revised form 9 December 2009; accepted 10 December 2009.

Abstract

Bone loss is a common problem for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of our study was to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with IBD and to investigate the role of corticosteroid (CS) use and duration and activity of disease on BMD. Ninety-two patients (56 men and 36 women) with IBD, of whom 32 had ulcerative colitis (UC) and 60 had Crohn's disease (CD), underwent clinical assessment. Lumbar and femoral neck BMDs were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Osteopenia was observed in 14 patients (43%) with UC and in 24 patients (40%) with CD (p=0.187). Four patients (12%) with UC and 7 patients (11%) with CD had osteoporosis (p=0.308). Femoral BMD decreased in patients with long duration of CS use and correlated inversely with disease activity. Multiple regression analysis of BMD showed that statistically significant risk factors were duration of active disease and body mass index as well. Based on our results, it is necessary to take into account the risk of decreased BMD in patients with IBD. It is most important to achieve disease remission as soon as possible in addition to nutritional support.