Gender specific alterations of body composition in patients with inflammatory bowel disease compared with controls

Objective: To assess body hydration and the distribution of the body water compartments in defined populations of patients with inflammatory bowel dis ease (IBD) compared with those of matched healthy controls. Subjects: Fifty-two patients with IBD at time of diagnosis (20 patients wit h Crohn's disease (CD-new) and 32 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC-new) ), 40 patients with long-standing CD (CD-long) and 2 matched healthy contro l groups (n = 52 and n = 40) were recruited for the study. Methods: Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were measured by deuterium oxide and bromide dilution, respectively. Intracellular water (ICW) was calculated as TBW-ECW. In addition, hydration of fat-free mass ( FFM) and the ECW:ICW ratio were calculated. FFM, body fat (BF) and % body f at (%BF) were assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: In female IBD patients, the ECW:ICW ratio was significantly (P < 0 .05) higher than in controls (CD-new: 0.89 +/- 0.11 vs 0.79 +/- 0.08, P < 0 .01; UC-new: 0.85 +/- 0.15 vs 0.77 +/- 0.10, P < 0.05; CD-long: 0.86 +/- 0. 14 vs 0.80 +/- 0.10, P < 0.05). In these female patients, the ICW:FFM ratio was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in controls. Fluid shifts were esp ecially pronounced in female patients with recently diagnosed CD. In male p atients with recently diagnosed UC and in those with long-standing CD, body weight, body mass index, BF and %BF were significantly (P < 0.05) lower th an in controls. No differences in body hydration or body water distribution were observed between male patients and controls. Conclusions: An altered body water distribution and body hydration was obse rved in female LED patients, especially in female patients with recently di agnosed CD.