Decreased Bone Mineralization in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Aim: to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in children with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and analyse the factors influencing it. Materials and methods. The study included 113 patients with IBD (58 with Crohn’s disease and 55 with ulcerative colitis) and 61 healthy children (control group). All the participants had a comprehensive assessment of BMD by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), as well as measurement of vitamin D levels, biochemical markers of bone metabolism, dietary calcium intake, and physical activity. Results. Decreased BMD of varying degrees was identified in 39.8 % of patients with IBD, which is substantially more frequent than in the control group (p = 0.001). Significant predictors of decreased BMD were established: disease duration exceeding 3 years, high clinical and endoscopic activity, low calcium intake (Ме) 300 mg/day vs 550 mg/day in the control group (р < 0.001), and dose-dependent effect of glucocorticoid therapy. Conclusion. Low bone mass build-up in children with IBD is a multifactorial process associated with disease activity and duration, dietary restrictions, and treatment modalities, underscoring the need for multidisciplinary monitoring of bone tissue status in this patient group.