Bone mineral density, vitamin D, and disease activity in children newly diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine bone mineral density and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D in relation to disease activity in children newly diagnosed with IBD.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional analytic study, 60 children newly diagnosed with IBD (39 with Crohn's disease [CD], mean age 12.2 ± 2.1 years; and 21 with ulcerative colitis [UC], mean age 12.4 ± 3.7 years) were recruited. Fifty-six age- and sex-matched children without IBD were invited as controls (mean age 11.3 ± 4.2 years). Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D for patients and controls was measured at diagnosis. Patients' adjusted lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) z scores were measured. Activity indices for both CD and UC were calculated.


RESULTS
The serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D was significantly lower in children with IBD compared to the control group (P = 0.04). BMD was significantly lower in patients with CD compared to those with UC (P = 0.039). There was no correlation between vitamin D levels, BMD z scores or disease activity indices for both CD and UC.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum vitamin D level is significantly lower in children with newly diagnosed IBD compared to those without. However, vitamin D levels are not affected by disease severity. It seems that BMD status may not be affected by vitamin D levels or disease severity in this cohort. Larger prospective controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.
El-Matary
Wael
W
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Eaton Road, Liverpool, L12 2AP, UK. wael.el-matary@alderhey.nhs.uk
Sikora
Sheena
S
Spady
Donald
D
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D015519:Bone Density; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D