Risedronate Therapy in the Treatment of Low Bone Mineral Density in Crohn's Disease

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects who are 18 years of age, or older.
• Crohn's disease, as documented by clinical, radiologic, endoscopic or histologic examination.
• Osteoporosis (T score less than -2.5) or osteopenia (T score between -1.0 and -2.5), as determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Exclusion criteria

• Known bone disorders other than osteoporosis (such as hyperparathyroidism, Paget's disease, renal osteodystrophy and documented osteomalacia)
• Abnormal thyroid function. Those patients on thyroxine replacement must not have had a change in dose in the two months prior to prospective data collection program entry
• Clinically significant renal impairment (serum creatinine ≥ 2x normal).
• Clinical Short Bowel Syndrome
• Patients on total parenteral or enteral nutrition
• Spinal anatomy that would not allow adequate assessment of lateral spine using DEXA
• Patients who had received:

• previous bisphosphonate therapy
• fluoride supplement in the 24 months prior to entry
• calcium supplements of more than 1.0g/day in the 6 months prior to entry
• vitamin D supplements greater than 1000 IU/day in the 6 months prior to entry
• calcitonin in the 3 months prior to entry
• Females on hormone replacement therapy who do not agree to continue the therapy for the duration of the prospective data collection program
• Men on testosterone who do not agree to continue it for the duration of the prospective data collection program
• Pregnancy or women who are breastfeeding