Crohn’s Disease and Fracture Risk Assessment with FRAX

Background Studies are inconsistent whether people with Crohn disease (CD) have an increased fracture risk. This study showed that patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) had a higher ten year probability of fracture, assessed by the fracture assessment tool FRAX, and more fractures, but the proportion of CD patients with a fracture was not significantly higher than that of controls. Methods Forty-nine CD and 49 controls participated. All 98 completed a health questionnaire. A score with the fracture assessment tool FRAX > 15% was considered risk factor for fracture. Results Mean FRAX score for 49 CD was 10.1 ± 10.3% and for 49 controls 5.0 ± 3.9% (P = 0.002). The variables correlated with fracture were being female (P = 0.04) and having a fractured mother (P = 0.002). Conclusion The CD group had significantly higher FRAX scores and more fractures, but the proportion of CD subjects with a fracture was not significantly higher than that of controls.