Altered levels of biochemical indices of bone turnover and bone-related vitamins in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
BACKGROUND
The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease-associated osteopenia may be related to pathological rates of bone turnover; however, the literature shows mixed results.


OBJECTIVE
To compare bone biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease patients (Crohn's disease: n = 68, and ulcerative colitis: n = 32, separately) with age- and sex-matched healthy controls.


METHODS
Patients and controls were recruited from Cork University Hospital and Cork City area, respectively.


RESULTS
Relative to that in their respective controls, Crohn's disease (n = 47) and ulcerative colitis (n = 26) patients (i.e. excluding supplement users) had significantly (P < 0.05-0.001) higher serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin (by 27% and 63%, respectively) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (by 15% and 21%, respectively) and urinary Type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptides concentrations (by 87% and 112%, respectively). Relative to that in their respective controls, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients had significantly (P < 0.01) lower serum total osteocalcin (by 20% and 42%, respectively) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (by 37% and 42%, respectively), while serum parathyroid hormone levels were similar. In the combined patient group (n = 100), undercarboxylated osteocalcin was positively associated with bone markers.


CONCLUSIONS
Both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients have altered bone turnover relative to that in healthy controls.
Gilman
J
J
Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College, Cork, Ireland.
Shanahan
F
F
Cashman
K D
KD
D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000652:urine; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides / Q000652:urine; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D024042:Collagen Type I; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D015675:Osteocalcin; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase