What is it about?
Guidelines do not support determining bone mineral density (BMD) in patients under 50 years old. We assessed 260 coeliac patients after at least 12 months on gluten free diet (median age 51y) and found ostoporosis and osteopenia in all age groups with higher incidence with increasing age, female gender, low BMI and history of previous fracture.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
There are case series relating to risk of fractures in patients with low BMD and coeliac disease even at younger age. Our study has highlighted that it is common and even in patients under 50 years old, consideration of DXA scan should be given, especially when they have additional risk factors as above.
Perspectives
Guidelines are encouraging fewer patients with coeliac disease to undergo DXA scan but their incidence of reduced BMD is surprisingly high and this does appear to carry increased risk of fractures.
Dr Iain A Murray
Dumfries and Galloway Royal infirmary
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Prevalence of reduced bone mineral density in adults with coeliac disease – are we missing opportunities for detection in patients below 50 years of age?, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, December 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2018.1543447.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
