Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in a patient with celiac disease.

BACKGROUND

A 62-year-old postmenopausal woman with a family history of breast cancer, mild gastroesophageal reflux disease, iron-deficient anemia and declining BMD was seen in a specialist center for the evaluation and management of osteoporosis.

INVESTIGATIONS: Analysis of tissue transglutaminase IgA, endoscopic biopsy, serial BMD scans, FRAX calculation of osteoporotic fracture risk, Gail model calculation of breast cancer risk, assessment of blood vitamin D concentration and secondary evaluation for osteoporosis.

DIAGNOSIS: Osteoporosis, persistent after 12 years of hormone replacement therapy, and celiac disease.

MANAGEMENT: The patient was initially treated for bone loss with postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy. DXA analyses showed a continued decline in BMD despite adequate replacement of calcium and vitamin D levels and withdrawal of gluten from the patient's diet. An oral bisphosphonate was recommended with plans to reassess BMD after 1 year.