BONE MASS IN CELIAC PATIENTS

Bone mineral content was measured in the whole body, the spine (L2-L4) and hip by Dual Photonic Absorpciometry (densitometer Norland 2600 Gd -153), in seventeen celiac patients, aged 6 to 12 years, with good adh erence to the gluten free diet. The diagnosed was made before 30 month s of age in 50% of cases. Average treatment duration was 69.8+/-36mont hs. The randomly selected control group was composed of 48 school age children, of the same age and sex of patients. Total bone mass (TBM) a nd bone mineral density (BMD) were expresed as Z scores on the basis o f normal values established by the authors in Chilean children. Celiac patients had lower TBM and BMD of whole body, than controls (-1.11+/- 0.94 vs 0.00+/-0.85 and -0.59+/-0.76 vs 0.06+/-0.84, respectively) and at the spine (-0.79+/-1.04 vs 0.003+/-0.92 and -1.49+/-0.99 vs -0.06/-0.87 respectively). A lower TBM was founded at the hip (-0.62+/-1.28 vs -0.08+/-0.82) without differences in BMD. Celiac patients had a lo wer bone mass than controls despite early diagnosis and good complianc e with the gluten-free diet. These differences could not be atributed entirely to the lower height of celiac patients. These results suggest that celiac patients constitute a risk group for development of osteo porosis later in life. This fact should be taken into consideration in the treatment of this condition.