Decreased bone mineral density in inflammatory bowel disease: The prevalence and risk factors

Abstract

Objective: The prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) has increased in recent decades. The incidence of osteoporosis in the population with IBD is higher than in the normal population. Therefore, it seems necessary to carefully examine the risk factors associated with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) among these patients.Methods and Materials: Patients with IBD completed a questionnaire including demographic data, drug history, underlying disease (past medical history), and family history, then their bone density was measured with a DEXA device. Also, laboratory samples were prepared. Densitometry results were placed in three groups: normal, osteoporotic, and osteopenia. All of the data was analyzed by SPSS version 23 software.Results: This study was conducted on 63 patients (58 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 5 patients with Crohn's disease (CD)). The bone density was normal in 40 patients, 16 had osteopenia and 7 had osteoporosis. There was a significant relationship between bone density and age (P < 0.001), smoking (P=0.049), past medical history (P< 0.001), extraintestinal involvement (P=0.008), duration (P=0.023) and menopause (P=0.002). Also, the amount of use of corticosteroid drugs (P=0.014), the level of calcium (P=0.017), and vitamin D (P< 0.001) in the blood had a significant relationship with bone density.Conclusion: In our study, we showed that age, smoking status, underlying conditions, extraintestinal involvement, corticosteroid use, levels of vitamin D and calcium, and menopause are risk factors for an increased risk for decreased BMD in IBD patients.

Keywords

• ulcerative colitis
• vitamin d
• crohn's disease
• bone densitometry