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Published on: January 29, 2018
Familial resemblance of bone mineral density in children with inflammatory bowel disease
Susanne Schmidt1, Dan Mellström, Ensio Norjavaara
1Department of Pediatrics, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. schmsus@online.no
Insights
Bone mineral density (BMD) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) shows a strong familial resemblance to parental BMD. Assessing parents
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Low bone mineral density (BMD) is an emerging concern in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- Children with IBD are at risk for skeletal complications.
- Understanding the genetic and environmental factors influencing BMD in this population is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the familial resemblance of bone mineral density (BMD) in children diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- To determine if parental BMD is a predictor of BMD in pediatric IBD patients.
Main Methods:
- A population-based study was conducted in western Sweden.
- 144 children with IBD (ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, indeterminate colitis) and their parents underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans.
- Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationship between patient and parental BMD after adjusting for relevant covariates.
Main Results:
- A significant positive correlation was observed between the BMD of children with IBD and their parents' BMD.
- The strongest correlation (r = 0.55, P < 0.001) was found between the femoral neck BMD of children and the midparental value.
- Children with IBD whose parents both had decreased BMD had a significantly higher odds ratio (5.96) for decreased BMD.
Conclusions:
- Bone mineral density in pediatric patients with IBD is significantly influenced by parental BMD.
- DEXA assessment of parents of children with IBD may aid in interpreting the child's BMD measurements.
- Familial factors play a role in the skeletal health of children with IBD.
Background And Aim:
Low bone mineral density (BMD) has recently been recognized as a potential health problem in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our aim was to investigate the familial resemblance of BMD in pediatric patients with IBD.
Patients And Methods:
In this population-based study from western Sweden, we assessed 144 children with IBD, 83 with ulcerative colitis, 45 with Crohn disease, 16 with indeterminate colitis, and their parents (136 mothers and 130 fathers) with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). After adjustment for sex, age, weight, height, and parental IBD, we correlated the BMD of the patients to the BMD of their mothers, fathers, and the midparent value ([mother's BMD + father's BMD]/2) at different skeletal sites and calculated the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) to evaluate the extent of familial resemblance.
Results:
The BMD of the children with IBD was clearly related to the BMD of their parents. The strongest correlation was found in the femoral neck with r = 0.55 (P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.41-0.66) between BMD of the children and the midparent value. The group of children with IBD had an odds ratio of 5.96 for decreased BMD (lumbar spine z score < -1 standard deviation) given that decreased BMD was diagnosed in both parents.
Conclusions:
We conclude that BMD in children and adolescents with IBD is significantly related to that of their parents. In a clinical setting, it may be helpful to assess the parents of children with IBD with DEXA to interpret the children's DEXA measurements.
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