Long term follow up of bone mineral density in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

AIM: Osteodystrophy is a well known complication of cholestatic liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), although the factors predisposing to the development of metabolic bone disease and its natural history have not been well studied.

METHODS

We followed a cohort of patients, predominantly post-menopausal females, for changes in bone mineral density over a period of up to 8 years.

RESULTS

We found that most patients with PBC have relatively stable lumbar bone density over time, even in the face of progressive liver disease. Only 2 of 22 patients experienced fractures. Both of these patients had low initial bone density measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend that all patients with newly diagnosed PBC undergo bone mineral density measurement so as to identify those at greatest risk of pathological fractures.