Risks and predictors of osteoporosis in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases in an Asian population: a nationwide population-based cohort study

BackgroundWe investigated the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specific predictors of osteoporosis and pathological fracture by analysing the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. MethodsTotally, we enrolled 3141 IBD patients and 12,564 age- and sex-matched controls. We calculated the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of osteoporosis and pathological fracture in both cohorts. ResultsInflammatory bowel disease patients had significantly higher comorbidity-adjusted rates of osteoporosis and pathological fracture compared with controls [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.31; 95% CI, 1.09-1.60, p=0.004]. Further analysis indicated that women (aHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.09-1.70, p=0.008), middle-aged patients (aHR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.25-2.41, p=0.001), patients with Crohn's disease (aHR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.09-1.64, p=0.006) and patients without comorbidities (aHR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.23-2.67, p=0.003) exhibited excessive risks of osteoporosis. Moreover, patients requiring hospitalisation for IBD exhibited the highest risk of developing osteoporosis (aHR, 4.46; 95% CI, 2.74-7.27, p<0.001) and pathological fracture (aHR, 17.1; 95% CI, 5.78-50.9, p<0.001). ConclusionsPatients with IBD, particularly women, middle-aged patients and patients without comorbidities, are associated with a long-term risk of osteoporosis. The risks of osteoporosis and pathological fracture were highest in patients requiring hospitalisation for IBD.