Prevalence and Predictors of Reduced Bone Density in Child and Adolescent Patients with Crohn's Disease

Abstract Background Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) has broadly been found to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across a number of geographical locations and cultures. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of reduced BMD and identify clinical predictors in a cohort of Crohn's disease patients (CD) in Saudi Arabia. Methods We conducted a retrospective study involving children and adolescents with CD between 2013 and 2018. BMD was evaluated using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of the spine and body. A multivariate analysis was performed for the detection of predictors of low BMD. Results Sixty-four patients were enrolled. The median age was 16 years (range, 8-19 years) and fifty-five percent of patients were males. Total body BMD scanning identified 25 patients (39%) with osteoporosis. Twenty patients (31.3%) were found to have z scores consistent with osteopenia. A multivariate regression analysis identified a low weight-for-age z score (B coefficient=0.347, 95%CI=0.211-0.482, P Conclusions In conclusion, Saudi Arabian children and adolescents with CD have a high prevalence rate of low bone density compared to Western populations. Several clinical characteristics are identified as significant predictors for low BMD.