Bone mineral density in patients with inflammatory bowel disease from north-eastern Romania

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with increased prevalence of bone demineralization. One of the risk factors for low bone density is the inadequate level of 25-OH vitamin D.

To determine the degree of bone demineralization in patients with IBD and the main causes leading to this condition.

A prospective study was carried out between April, 2011 and October, 2012 in 143 patients diagnosed with IBD at the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Centre of Iaşi.The IBD diagnosis was made on clinical, biological, and endoscopic criteria and confirmed histologically. The diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis was based on World Health Organization criteria.

Osteopenia was found in 48.07% of the patients with ulcerative colits (UC) and in 56.41% of the patients with Crohn's disease (CD); osteoporosis was present in 18.26% of the patients with UC and 15.38% of those with CD. The main causes identified were inadequate vitamin D level, extended high-dose corticotherapy in patients with CD, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, and smoking, especially in the patients with UC.

Bone demineralization and hypovitaminosis D are frequently associated with IBD and require specific treatment.