Combination therapy with an immunomodulator and anti-TNFα agent improves bone mineral density in IBD patients

There is a high prevalence of low bone mineral density (BMD) among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) although there is a lack of clinical data on the impact of IBD specific medications and recommended vitamin D (VD) and calcium (Ca) supplements on it. The cohort consisted of 150 IBD patients. The average change in BMD at the lumbar spine per year (∆BMDL/year) was calculated and the impact of clinical characteristics, medications and VD and Ca supplements was analysed. The prevalence of osteopenia was 69/150 (46%) and osteoporosis was identified in 15/150 (10%) patients at baseline. The presence of osteoporosis was associated with the disease duration OR=1.07 per year of disease duration (95% CI=1.01–1.14), p=0.03. The average ∆BMDL/year was 0.010g/cm2/year. Among patients with no IS the ∆BMDL/year was −0.001±0.010g/cm2/year, with AZA −0.001±0.013g/cm2/year, with anti-TNFα 0.003±0.006g/cm2/year and with COMBO 0.027±0.004g/cm2/year; p