INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE AND PREDISPOSITION TO OSTEOPENIA

The prevalence of osteopenia in children with inflammatory bowel disea se (IBD) is unknown. The effect of nutritional state, disease activity , and steroid therapy on bone mineral content (BMC) of whole body, lum bar spine, and left femoral neck measured by dual energy x ray absorpt iometry in 32 children with IBD was assessed by comparison with 58 hea lthy local school children. Using the control data, a predicted BMC wa s calculated taking into account bone area, age, height, weight, and p ubertal stage. The measured BMC in children with IBD was expressed as a percentage of this predicted value (% BMC). Mean (SD) % BMC was sign ificantly reduced for the whole body and left femoral neck in the chil dren with IBD (97.0 (4.5)% and 93.1 (12.0)% respectively, p<0.05). Of the children with IBD, 41% had a % BMC less than 1 SD below the mean f or the whole body and 47% at the femoral neck. Reduction in % BMC was associated with steroid usage but not with the magnitude of steroid do se, disease activity, or biochemical markers of bone metabolism. In co nclusion, osteopenia is relatively common in childhood IBD and may be partly related to the previous use of steroids.