Improvement of Lumbar Bone Mass after Infliximab Therapy in Crohn’s Disease Patients

BACKGROUND: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) have a high risk of developing osteoporosis, but the mechanisms underlying bone mass loss are unclear. Elevated proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), have been implicated in the pathogenesis of bone resorption. AIM: To assess whether suppression of TNFalpha with infliximab treatment has a beneficial effect on lumbar bone mass.