Biochemical markers and bone densitometry in inflammatory bowel disease

AIMS: bone mineral density is reduced in patients with inflammatory bowel d isease. The possible causes of this situation are delayed puberty, malabsor ption, and corticosteroid use, among others. No published data exist regard ing the use of biochemical markers and bone densitometry to assess osteopen ia in these patients in Spain. METHODS: we studied 54 patients (24 men and 30 women), 22 with Crohn's dise ase and 32 with ulcerative colitis. Age, type of disease and average daily dose of prednisone-equivalent corticosteroids were evaluated. Lumbar bone m ineral density was assessed quantitative digital radiography densitometry. The bone resorption marker urine D-pyridinoline and the bone formation mark er serum osteocalcin were also assessed. RESULTS: mean age was 36.61 +/- 13.37 years. Daily corticosteroid dose was correlated with D-pyridinoline (r = 0.413; p < 0.01), and D-pyridinoline wa s inversely correlated with osteocalcin (r = -0.304; p < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between bone mineral density and corticosteroid dose. There was no relationship between biochemical markers and bone densitometr y findings in these patients. There were no differences in terms of bone de nsitometry findings or biochemical markers between the two types of inflamm atory bowel disease. CONCLUSIONS: D-pyridinoline correlated inversely with osteocalcin. Daily co rticosteroid dose correlated directly with D-pyridinoline, and inversely wi th bone mineral density.