Skeletal Health and Bone Marrow Composition in Newly Diagnosed Adolescents with Crohn Disease
Published: 10/10/2023
General Information:
We will examine adolescents with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease at baseline and one year later to evaluate the impact of Crohn’s disease inflammatory activity on bone marrow fat, bone mineral density, bone turnover markers, and to correlate with peripheral blood molecular and immune cell parameters.
Eligibility:
Inclusion criteria:
- Aged 13-20 years old
- Moderate to Severe Crohn's disease as defined by: clinically via physician global assessment and edoscopically via SEMA_CD (Simplified Endoscopic Mucosal Assessment for Crohn's Diesase)
- Additionally, we are recruiting healthy controls will be matched for age (within 2 years), pubertal stage (based on Tanner staging, ± 1 Tanner stage), and BMI percentile (± 20th percentile), to Crohn’s disease participants.
Exclusion criteria:
- Diagnosis of other chronic disease affecting bone health
- Active use (within the past 3 months) of medications that are known skeletal agents, including medications known to affect skeletal metabolism
- Participants who are pregnant or who may not tolerate the MRI scan
Study Details:
Study description/explanation of participation:
In this longitudinal case-control study, we will evaluate bone marrow fat, areal and volumetric bone mineral density in adolescents with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease versus healthy matched controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). This study includes a baseline visit and a follow up visit one year later. Study participants will have the above imaging studies, bloodwork, and questionnaires.
Description of treatment or intervention (mechanism of action):
No treatment intervention - this is an observational study
Participation requirements:
As part of the study the patient will be asked to do imaging studies, bloodwork, and complete questionnaires.
Participants will receive a monetary stipend for their time and transportation costs will be covered.
Possible risks and side effects:
This study has been designated as minimal risk. Study risks include: a very low dose of radiation from the DXA and pQCT; discomfort from the noise of the MRI; discomfort from completing questionnaires.