Abstract
Objectives
Patients with chronic pancreatitis may be at an increased risk of low bone density because of malabsorption of vitamin D and calcium, poor diet, pain, alcoholism, and smoking. We investigated the rates of osteoporosis in patients with chronic pancreatitis compared to matched controls.
Methods
The study was cross sectional in design. Sixty-two patients (mean age, 47.9 years; 72.6% male) and 66 matched controls were recruited. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, smoking, and socioeconomic data were recorded.
Results
Thirty-four percent of patients had osteoporosis compared to 10.2% of controls. T-scores at the right femoral neck were lower in patients than controls (P = 0.005). Patients in the highest smoking tertile had the poorest T-scores at the lumbar vertebrae and total hip. Patients in the youngest age tertile had the highest T-scores (P = 0.003), but there was no sex difference.
Conclusions
Patient osteoporosis rates were triple that of controls, and almost 7 times what has been previously reported. Given the resource burden of osteoporosis, we suggest that routine bone density assessment is performed in patients with chronic pancreatitis.
Patients with chronic pancreatitis may be at an increased risk of low bone density because of malabsorption of vitamin D and calcium, poor diet, pain, alcoholism, and smoking. We investigated the rates of osteoporosis in patients with chronic pancreatitis compared to matched controls.
Methods
The study was cross sectional in design. Sixty-two patients (mean age, 47.9 years; 72.6% male) and 66 matched controls were recruited. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, smoking, and socioeconomic data were recorded.
Results
Thirty-four percent of patients had osteoporosis compared to 10.2% of controls. T-scores at the right femoral neck were lower in patients than controls (P = 0.005). Patients in the highest smoking tertile had the poorest T-scores at the lumbar vertebrae and total hip. Patients in the youngest age tertile had the highest T-scores (P = 0.003), but there was no sex difference.
Conclusions
Patient osteoporosis rates were triple that of controls, and almost 7 times what has been previously reported. Given the resource burden of osteoporosis, we suggest that routine bone density assessment is performed in patients with chronic pancreatitis.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1119-1124 |
| Journal | Pancreas |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |