According to a recent meta-analysis published in the journal Cureus, there may be a significant association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the risk for osteoporotic fractures.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of seven observational studies (five cohort, one case-control and one cross-sectional) identified through a literature search on the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases
An overall analysis showed a 32 per cent higher risk for osteoporotic fractures in patients with IBD, either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, than the control individuals who did not have IBD (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.20-1.45; P<.001). Heterogeneity among the included studies was low (I2=42.3). In a sensitivity analysis, the results remained unaffected by the inclusion of data on children. Corticosteroid use as a confounding variable was adjusted using direct standardisation.
"The mechanism of how IBD puts patients at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures is likely multifactorial," the authors suggest. They also call for further studies to evaluate the fracture risk associated with the specific type of IBD.
