BRITISH SOCIETY
OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
Guidelines for osteoporosis
in inflammatory bowel
disease and coeliac disease
Written and approved by the British Society of Gastroenterology
June 2007
http://www.bsg.org.uk
Designed, Typeset and Printed by
Q3 Digital/Litho
Loughborough, Leicestershire
01509 213456
14
CONTENTS
1.0 The Problem
2.0 Risk factors for fracture in general
2.1 Reduced bone mineral density
2.1.1 The importance of low BMD
2.1.2 Measurement of BMD
2.1.3 Risk factors for low BMD and fracture
2.2 Other risk factors for fracture independent of low
BMD
3.0 Osteoporosis in IBD
3.1 Are fractures a problem in IBD?
3.2 Risk factors for fracture in IBD
3.2.1 Reduced BMD
3.2.2 Factors affecting BMD in IBD
3.2.2.1 Age and age at diagnosis
3.2.2.2 Gender
3.2.2.3 Weight, height and body mass
index3.2.2.4 Duration of disease
3.2.2.5 Disease site, activity, severity and
previous surgery
3.2.2.6 Corticosteroid use
3.2.2.7 Reduced physical activity
3.2.2.8 Smoking
3.2.3 Other risk factors for fracture independent of low BMD
3.2.3.1 Age
3.2.3.2 Gender
3.2.3.3 Corticosteroid use and disease activity
4.0 Osteoporosis in coeliac disease
4.1 Are fractures a problem in coeliac disease?
4.2 Risk factors for fracture in coeliac disease
4.2.1 Reduced BMD
4.2.2 Factors affecting low BMD in coeliac disease
4.2.2.1 Years exposed to gluten
4.2.2.2 Gender
4.2.2.3 Body mass index (BMI)
4.2.2.4 Degree of villous atrophy
4.2.2.5 Symptomatic disease
4.2.2.6 Adherence to a gluten-free diet
5.0 Prevention of osteoporosis in IBD and coeliac disease
5.1 General measures
5.2 Calcium
5.3 Vitamin D
5.4 Steroid avoidance in IBD
5.5 Bone-protective measures during steroid use in IBD
6.0 Detection of osteoporosis in IBD and coeliac disease
6.1 Indications for DEXA
6.2 Special considerations in IBD
6.2.1 DEXA in steroid treated patients
6.3 Special considerations in coeliac disease
7.0 Treatment of osteoporosis
7.1 Bisphosphonates
7.2 Teriparatide
7.3 Raloxifene
7.4 Calcitonin
7.5 Calcium and vitamin D
7.6 Strontium
7.7 Sex hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
7.8 Fluoride
8.0 Summary of recommendations
9.0 The process of guideline formulation
10.0 Targets for audit
References
NR Lewis, BB Scott
BSG Guidelines in Gastroenterology June 2007
1.0 THE PROBLEM
Osteoporosis is a major public health problem becauseof its potentially severe consequences for both thepatient and the health care system if it leads to frac-
ture. It has been estimated that one in two women and one in
five men older than 50 years will develop an osteoporotic frac-
ture during the course of their remaining lifetime in the
United States [1] and that in the United Kingdom (UK)
osteoporosis causes more than 200,000 fractures per year [2,
3]. Osteoporotic fractures are associated with pain, disability
and up to 30% mortality at 1 year in addition to an estimated
monetary cost in the UK of more than £1 billion yearly [3–5].
Osteoporosis is likely to become even more common and
costly because of the ageing population. Gastroenterologists
care for groups of patients at increased risk of osteoporotic
fracture, such as those with inflammatory bowel disease
(IBD) and coeliac disease. These guidelines review the risks of
osteoporosis and fracture in these conditions with a view to
identifying subgroups of patients that would benefit from
screening and interventions to prevent fractures.
2.0 RISK FACTORS FOR FRACTURE IN GENERAL
Before considering IBD and coeliac disease in particular it is
important to consider the risk factors for fracture in general
since they are likely to operate also in those conditions.
2.1 REDUCED BONE MINERAL DENSITY
2.1.1 The importance of low BMD
Although osteoporosis is just one of many factors predispos-
ing to fracture, it is one of the most important and can be
reliably assessed by measurement of bone mineral density
(BMD). BMD can be expressed as the number of standard
deviations (SD) above or below either the mean BMD for
young adults (T-score) or the mean BMD for age-matched
controls (Z-score).Cross-sectional and prospective population
studies suggest that the risk of fracture increases by a factor
of 1.4 – 2.6 for each SD decrease in bone mineral density [6].
Osteoporosis is defined as a T-score <-2.5 [3]. The significance
of a given T-score in terms of absolute fracture risk will differ
according to age (table 1). For example, a T-score of –2 is asso-
ciated with a 9.2% probability of an osteoporotic fracture in
the next ten years in non-steroid treated women aged 50
years but at 70 years this probability is twice as high [7].
2.1.2 Measurement of BMD
BMD is usually measured using dual energy x-ray absorp-
tiometry (DEXA) which is relatively simple and non-invasive
and has accuracy and precision (measurement error of 5–6%)
[8–10]. Although DEXA instruments are calibrated against
excised bone samples, methodological differences in how this
calibration is performed have led to large discrepancies in
patient measurements when using different machines, mak-
ing comparison difficult [11]. For this reason, whenever
possible, follow-up examinations should be done using the
same instrument. The use of BMD measurement alone as a
prognostic tool in a population-screening programme is lim-
ited by both its poor discriminatory power to detect those who
will fracture from those that will not and its cost if used indis-
criminately [6, 12–14].
Quantitative ultrasound might be considered where DEXA
is not readily available. However, it doesn’t measure BMD
directly and cannot be used to diagnose osteoporosis using
current definitions based on BMD. Thus the T-score thresh-
olds used in these guidelines cannot be applied using results
from quantitative ultrasound. Nevertheless, a low quantita-
tive ultrasound measurement is an independent predictor of
osteoporotic fracture in post-menopausal women and may be
used as such. It is not suitable for monitoring treatment. A
code of practice for the use of quantitative ultrasound can be
obtained from the National Osteoporosis Society
(www.nos.org.uk).
2.1.3 Risk factors for low BMD and fracture
There are many predisposing factors for low BMD and frac-
ture. Some are modifiable; others are not. A systematic review
[15] of those risk factors for fracture which are probably
related to a low BMD identified high risk factors (relative risk
or odds ratio of >2) and moderate risk factors (relative risk
1–2) and they are shown in Box 1. Factors which are modifi-
able are indicated. There is emerging evidence that proton
pump inhibitors used long term [16] and thiazolidinedones
such as rosiglitazone [17] also predispose to fractures.
2.2 OTHER RISK FACTORS FOR FRACTURE INDEPENDENT
OF LOW BMD
There are many other factors which predispose to fracture
independently, at least partly, of any effect on BMD [18,19] as
shown in Box 2. Some, such as increasing age, previous
fragility fracture, low body weight, poor visual acuity and
neuromuscular disorders, presumably act by predisposing to
or showing a predisposition to falls. Alcohol excess is another
Guidelines for osteoporosis in inflammatory bowel disease and coeliac disease 1
June 2007 BSG Guidelines in Gastroenterology
Table 1: 10-year probability (%) of hip, spine, proximal
humerus or distal forearm fracture in non-steroid treated
individuals according to T-score at femoral neck [7].
T-score
Age (years) +1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4
Women
50 2.4 3.8 5.9 9.2 14.1 21.3
60 3.2 5.1 8.2 13.0 20.2 30.6
70 4.3 7.1 11.5 18.3 28.4 42.3
80 4.6 7.7 12.7 20.5 31.8 46.4
Men
50 1.2 2.0 3.4 5.8 9.6 15.9
60 1.6 2.7 4.5 7.3 11.8 18.7
70 2.3 3.8 6.2 10.0 16.0 25.0
80 3.6 5.8 9.3 14.7 22.6 33.3
Guidelines for osteoporosis in inflammatory bowel
disease and coeliac disease
NR Lewis, BB Scott
factor [20] which may also be partly related to falls.
Corticosteroid use may also predispose to fracture independ-
ent of any effect on the BMD [21–23]. This may be related to
higher daily dose rather than cumulative dose [24] and a
rapid decrease in fracture risk towards baseline has been
shown to occur shortly after stopping steroids [25, 26].
3.0 OSTEOPOROSIS IN IBD
3.1 ARE FRACTURES A PROBLEM IN IBD?
Since fracture is the only clinically important outcome of
osteoporosis, it is important to determine the impact of IBD
on the risk of fracture. The results of eight studies are shown
in Table 2 [27–34]. They demonstrate a modest increase in
fracture risk. For all fractures the relative risk is approxi-
mately 1.3 for Crohn’s disease and 1.2 for UC. The risk is
slightly greater for hip fractures – 1.5 for Crohn’s disease and
1.4 for UC. Since most of the studies rely on reports of frac-
ture, the prevalence of spinal fracture (and therefore all
fractures) is likely to be underestimated. The only two studies
to use quantitative morphometry of spinal x-rays revealed a
very high prevalence of vertebral fractures. In one, the
researchers selected for study just over half their Crohn’s dis-
ease patients by excluding those with a lumbar T-score >-1
and found a fracture prevalence of 22% [33]. The other found
lumbar spine fractures in 14% of 271 patients with ileo-caecal
Crohn’s disease [34]. Several risk factors for osteoporotic frac-
ture specific for IBD have been identified which may be then
used to target diagnostic and therapeutic interventions most
appropriately.
3.2 RISK FACTORS FOR FRACTURE IN IBD
3.2.1 Reduced BMD
As explained above, low BMD is an important predictor for
fracture risk, although one study of Crohn’s disease patients
[34] found that the vertebral fracture rate did not correlate
with the BMD. The prevalence of low BMD in Crohn’s disease
and ulcerative colitis observed in cross-sectional studies is
summarised in tables 3 and 4, respectively [35–62]. Pooling of
the results (table 5) suggests that BMD is modestly reduced in
both Crohn’s and UC with mean Z-scores being approximately
-0.5 and -0.7 at the spine and hip respectively in Crohn’s dis-
ease and -0.1 and -0.3 at those sites in UC. When using
T-scores, pooled bone mineral density in both patients with
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is within the osteopenic
or osteoporotic range in over half of patients. However there
are limitations with these studies. Many of the studies are
small with only 8 of the 40 studies having sample sizes above
100 patients with IBD. The majority of the studies are based on
observations from specialist IBD clinics and not population-
based and thus the findings may not reflect the true risk. Only
7 of the studies included a control group. Overall, longitudinal
changes in BMD in patients with IBD were similar to those in
the general population [36, 38, 40, 44, 46, 55, 56]. Pooling of
these results demonstrates -0.50% change per year in spine
BMD and -1.09% change per year in femoral neck BMD in
patients with Crohn’s disease. In comparison, -1.33% change
per year in spine BMD and +0.26% change per year in femoral
neck BMD was observed in patients with ulcerative colitis.
3.2.2 Factors affecting BMD in IBD
3.2.2.1 Age and age at diagnosis
As expected, advancing age was associated with reduced
BMD in most studies. However, Haugeberg et al [51] observed
that Crohn’s disease patients with reduced BMD were
younger than those without reduced BMD (33.6 v 41.1 years
at lumbar spine, p= 0.02; 34.7 v 41.5 years at femoral neck,
p= 0.04 respectively) though the patients with reduced BMD
had a significantly higher cumulative steroid dose. Kuisma et
al [62] also observed that patients with Crohn’s disease and
osteopenia were significantly younger than those with normal
BMD (33.5 years [95%CI 29.4–37.6] v 40.9 [95% CI 38.3–43.5]
years, respectively) and though there were no differences in
cumulative steroid doses, patients with osteopenia had suf-
fered more exacerbations of their Crohn’s disease.
The age at diagnosis also may also be important. Though
based on small numbers, Schoon et al [50] observed a greater
risk of reduced BMD in patients with Crohn’s disease aged
under 18 years at diagnosis (n=12) at the lumbar spine
(Z-score -1.07 v 0.12, p= 0.0001) and total body (Z-score -0.86
v –0.20, p= 0.018) in comparison to those diagnosed over 18
2 NR Lewis, BB Scott
BSG Guidelines in Gastroenterology June 2007
High risk (RR>2)
Non-modifiable
• Older age (> 70 years)
• Prior osteoporotic fracture
Modifiable
• Low body weight (BMI <20 – 25 kg/m2 or
weight <40 kg)
• Weight loss (greater than 10%)
• Physical inactivity
• Use of corticosteroids
• Use of anticonvulsants
Moderate risk (RR 1-2)
Non-modifiable
• Female
• Untreated early menopause (<45)
• Late menarche (>15)
• Short fertile period (<30 years)
• Family history of osteoporotic fracture
Modifiable
• Smoking
• Low calcium intake
Box 1: Risk factors for fracture related to low BMD
Box 2: Risk factors for fracture at least partly
independent of low BMD
Non-modifiable
• Older age
• Prior osteoporotic fracture
• Family history of hip fracture
• Poor visual acuity*
• Neuromuscular disorders*
Modifiable
• Low body weight
• Use of corticosteroids
• Cigarette smoking
• Alcohol excess
* Modifiable in some cases
Guidelines for osteoporosis in inflammatory bowel disease and coeliac disease 3
June 2007 BSG Guidelines in Gastroenterology
T
ab
le
2
:
O
cc
u
rr
en
ce
o
f
o
st
eo
p
o
ro
ti
c
fr
ac
tu
re
s
in
I
B
D
A
u
th
o
rs
S
tu
d
y
p
o
p
u
la
ti
o
n
F
ra
ct
u
re
F
ra
ct
u
re
r
is
k
i
n
C
ro
h
n
’s
d
is
ea
se
[
95
%
C
I]
F
ra
ct
u
re
r
is
k
i
n
u
lc
er
at
iv
e
co
li
ti
s
[9
5%
C
I]
Ve
st
er
ga
ar
d
et
al
[
27
]
Po
pu
la
ti
on
-b
as
ed
s
u
rv
ey
o
f
D
an
is
h
C
ro
h
n
’s
(n
=
38
3)
C
ol
it
is
(
n
=
43
4)
A
ss
oc
ia
ti
on
m
em
be
rs
A
ll
S
pi
n
e
Fo
re
ar
m
Fe
m
u
r
R
R
1
.7
[
1.
2
–
2.
3]
W
om
en
R
R
2
.5
[
1.
7
–
3.
6]
Po
st
m
en
op
au
sa
l
R
R
1
.8
[
1.
0
–
3.
3]
Fa
m
ily
h
is
to
ry
R
R
2
.4
[
1.
4
–
4.
1]
C
u
rr
en
t
sm
ok
in
g
R
R
R
R
1
.3
[
0.
6
–
2.
8]
R
R
6
.7
[
2.
1
–
21
.7
]
R
R
2
.0
[
0.
8
–
5.
1]
R
R
1
.5
[
0.
2
–
11
.7
]
R
R
1
.1
[
0.
8
–
1.
6]
W
om
en
R
R
1
.1
[
0.
7
–
1.
8]
Po
st
m
en
op
au
sa
l
R
R
0
.6
[
0.
3
–
1.
6]
Fa
m
ily
h
is
to
ry
R
R
1
.9
[
1.
0
–
3.
5]
C
u
rr
en
t
sm
ok
in
g
R
R
3
.8
[
1.
9
–
7.
8]
R
R
2
.4
[
0.
5
–
11
.9
]
R
R
1
.2
[
0.
1
–
13
.8
]
R
R
0
.6
[
0.
1
–
4.
9]
Ve
st
er
ga
ar
d
et
al
[
28
]
D
an
is
h
i
n
-p
at
ie
n
t
re
gi
st
ry
o
f
C
ro
h
n
’s
d
is
ea
se
(n
=
70
72
)
an
d
u
lc
er
at
iv
e
co
lit
is
(
n
=
83
23
)
A
ll
S
pi
n
e
C
ol
le
s
Fe
m
u
r
IR
R
1
.1
9
[1
.0
6
–
1.
33
]
IR
R
1
.8
7
[1
.2
4
–
2.
82
]
IR
R
1
.0
4
[0
.7
6
–
1.
43
]
IR
R
1
.1
0
[0
.8
7
–
1.
38
]
IR
R
1
.0
8
[0
.9
7
–
1.
20
]
IR
R
1
.0
4
[0
.6
7
–
1.
62
]
IR
R
1
.0
2
[0
.7
6
–
1.
37
]
IR
R
1
.0
8
[0
.8
8
–
1.
32
]
B
er
n
st
ei
n
e
t
al
[
29
]
C
an
ad
ia
n
p
op
u
la
ti
on
-b
as
ed
c
oh
or
t
st
u
dy
(
n
=
60
27
)
A
ll
S
pi
n
e
Fo
re
ar
m
H
ip
IR
R
1
.3
6
[1
.1
7
–
1.
59
]
IR
R
1
.5
4
[1
.0
4
–
2.
30
]
IR
R
1
.3
0
[1
.0
1
–
1.
66
]
IR
R
1
.4
7
[1
.0
3
–
2.
10
]
IR
R
1
.4
5
[1
.2
6
–
1.
67
]
IR
R
1
.9
0
[1
.3
6
–
2.
65
]
IR
R
1
.3
6
[1
.0
6
–
1.
73
]
IR
R
1
.6
9
[1
.2
6
–
2.
28
]
Lo
ft
u
s
et
a
l
[3
0]
A
m
er
ic
an
p
op
u
la
ti
on
-b
as
ed
c
oh
or
t
st
u
dy
(
n
=
23
8)
A
ll
S
pi
n
e
Fo
re
ar
m
Fe
m
u
r
R
R
0
.9
[
0.
6
–
1.
4]
R
R
2
.2
[
0.
9
–
5.
5]
R
R
1
.8
[
0.
5
–
6.
1]
R
R
0
.2
[
0.
03
–
2
.2
]
Va
n
S
ta
a
et
a
l
[3
1]
U
K
p
op
u
la
ti
on
-b
as
ed
c
oh
or
t
st
u
dy
u
si
n
g
G
P
R
D
(n
=
72
5
C
ro
h
n
’s
d
is
ea
se
;
n
=
13
05
u
lc
er
at
iv
e
co
lit
is
)
A
ll
S
pi
n
e
R
ad
iu
s
H
ip
O
R
1
.4
[
1.
2
–
1.
6]
O
R
1
.9
[
1.
1
–
3.
2]
O
R
1
.4
5
[1
.0
–
2
.0
]
O
R
1
.8
6
[1
.0
8
–
1.
21
]
O
R
1
.2
[
1.
05
–
1
.3
]
O
R
1
.4
[
0.
9
–
2.
2]
O
R
1
.2
[
0.
9
–
1.
5]
O
R
1
.4
0
[0
.9
2
–
2.
13
]
C
ar
d
et
a
l
[3
2]
U
K
p
op
u
la
ti
on
-b
as
ed
c
oh
or
t
st
u
dy
u
si
n
g
G
P
R
D
(n
=
59
60
C
ro
h
n
’s
d
is
ea
se
;
n
=
83
01
u
lc
er
at
iv
e
co
lit
is
;
in
de
te
rm
in
at
e
n
=
22
89
)
H
ip
H
R
2
.0
8
[1
.3
6
–
3.
18
]
A
dj
u
st
ed
H
R
1
.6
8
[1
.0
1
–
2.
78
]
H
R
1
.4
9
[1
.0
4
–
2.
15
]
A
dj
u
st
ed
H
R
1
.4
1
[0
.9
4
–
2.
11
]
K
la
u
s
et
a
l
[3
3]
H
os
pi
ta
l-
ba
se
d
ca
se
s
er
ie
s
in
G
er
m
an
y
of
p
at
ie
n
ts
w
it
h
T
s
co
re
<
-1
.0
(
n
=
15
6)
S
pi
n
e
P
re
va
le
n
ce
2
1.
8%
(
n
=
34
)
am
on
g
th
os
e
w
it
h
T
s
co
re
<
-1
.0
S
to
ck
br
u
gg
er
et
a
l
[3
4]
M
u
lt
ic
en
tr
e
E
u
ro
pe
an
/I
sr
ae
li
h
os
pi
ta
l
ba
se
d
st
u
dy
(n
=
27
1)
S
pi
n
e
P
re
va
le
n
ce
o
ve
ra
ll
14
%
25
/1
79
s
te
ro
id
-f
re
e
(1
4%
)
13
/8
9
st
er
oi
d
de
pe
n
de
n
t
(1
4.
6%
)
RR
=
r
el
at
iv
e
ris
k;
IR
R
=
in
ci
de
nc
e
ra
te
r
at
io
; O
R
=
od
ds
r
at
io
; H
R
=
ha
za
rd
r
at
io
4 NR Lewis, BB Scott
BSG Guidelines in Gastroenterology June 2007
Table 3: Cross-sectional survey of the prevalence of reduced BMD in Crohn’s disease patients using DEXA
1Patients with a preserved colon; 2Patients with a resected colon; 3did not receive steroids; 4received steroids; 5p < 0.05 on comparison of z-score with controls; 6control
Authors Country Number
of
patients
DEXA site Mean age
(years)
+/- SD
Mean disease
duration
(years) +/- SD
Mean
Z-score
Mean
T-score
% osteo-
porosis
% osteo-
penia
Pigot et al [35] France 27 Spine
Femoral neck
34 +/-13 5.3 +/-6.3 -1.11
-0. 83
Ghosh et al [36] Scotland 15 Spine
Forearm
24 0.36 -1.1
-1.1
Bernstein et al [37] USA 26 Spine
Total hip
-1.1
-1.5
Roux et al [38] France 14 Spine
Femoral neck
-1.12
-1.01
Silvennoinen et al
[39]
Finland 78
73 6
Spine
Femoral neck
38.6 +/-8.7
40.8 +/-9.3
11.5 +/-6.0 -0.18
0.406
-0.43
0.12 6
Staun et al [40] Denmark 40 1
68 2
Spine
Femoral neck
40.1 +/-13.2
36.5 +/-12.3
13 +/-8.4
11.8+/-7.2
-0.51
-0.80
-1.24
-1.23
Jahnsen et al [41] Norway 60
60 6
Spine
Femoral neck
36
36 6
-0.07 3,5
-0.52 4,5
-0.17 3,5
-0.97 4,5
Robinson et al [42] England 117 Spine
Femoral neck
Trochanter
40.6 +/-13 9.6 -0.09
-0.20
-0.30
12 29
Schulte et al [43] Germany 104 Spine
Femoral neck
38 +/-15 11.5 +/-8 15
12
36
Schulte et al [44] Germany 61 Spine
Femoral neck
-0.70
-0.55
Pollak et al [45] Israel 33 Spine
Femoral neck
37.4 +/- 4.9 8.4 +/-8.1 -1.4
-1.8
-2.26
-2.49
57.6 36.4
Dinca et al [46] Italy 54 Spine 39 +/-2 6.6 +/-0.7 -0.90 -1.16 5.5 42.5
Lee et al [47] Korea 14 Spine
Femoral neck
2.17 +/-0.25 -0.61
0.03
-0.96
-0.07
0 50
Ardizzone et al [48] Italy 51 Spine
Femur
38.7 +/-13.2
39.4 +/-11.6
7.0 +/-5.6 -1.24
-1.24
-1.49
-1.80 37 55
Schoon et al [49] Netherlands 24 Total body
Spine
Femoral neck
29.7 +/-10.4 0.41 0.5
0.13
0.0
Schoon et al [50] Netherlands 119 Spine
Femoral neck
Total body
42 +/-14 10.5 +/-8.8 0.00
-0.52
-0.27
-0.42
-0.96
-0.50
7
11
6
22
41
27
Haugeberg et al
[51]
Norway 55 Spine
Femoral neck
Total hip
38.5 +/-12.7 9.1 +/-7.4 -0.51
-0.58
-0.23
5.5
9.1
5.5
Schoon et al [452] Netherlands 26 Spine
Femoral neck
Total body
38 +/12 16 +/-8 -0.43
-0.90
-0.38
-0.71
-1.03
-0.67
15
4
8
23
31
27
De Jong et al [53] Netherlands 91 Spine
Femoral neck
41.3 +/-13.3 11.6 +/-8.5 -1.1
-1.1
20
25
40
47
Jahnsen et al [54] Norway 60 Spine
Femoral neck
Total body
36 10 0.05
-0