• osteoporosis
• inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an increased prevalence of osteoporosis, a condition characterised by reduced bone mineral density and increased risk of fragility fracture. Although in the majority of patients the absolute risk of fracture is low, a few suffer significant morbidity as a result of fractures. Prediction of those at highest risk remains problematic; glucocorticoid therapy and hypogonadism are likely to be important contributory factors and the increase in risk may be greater in patients with Crohn’s disease. Both men and women may be affected and younger age groups are not immune.^1,2

A range of therapeutic interventions has been shown to reduce fracture risk in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.³ These include the bisphosphonates (cyclic etidronate, alendronate, and risedronate), hormone replacement therapy, raloxifene, and combined calcium and vitamin D. Bisphosphonates also prevent bone loss in glucocorticoid treated individuals and in men with idiopathic osteoporosis. All of …