Micronutrient Deficiency and Muscular Status in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies are common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to evaluate micronutrient deficiencies and identify muscular status of patients with IBD. From June 2019 to October 2021, a total of 105 patients with IBD were enrolled prospectively. To obtain objective data, micronutrients were measured in the patients' serum, and body composition analysis was performed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. There were 51 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 54 with Crohn's disease (CD), while the gender ratio (M: F) was 54:51. The average age was 37 ± 18 years, which was significantly lower in patients with CD than UC (29 ± 16 vs. 45 ± 16, p < 0.001). Iron and magnesium were lower in patients with CD compared to UC, respectively (63.3 ± 42.5 vs. 82.8 ± 44.0 µg/dL, p = 0.024, 2.08 ± 0.15 vs. 2.15 ± 0.19 mg/dL, p = 0.036). Vitamin D levels showed insufficiency in patients with UC and deficiency (below 20 ng/mL) in patients with CD (20.1 ± 10.6 vs. 19.0 ± 9.9 ng/mL, p = 0.567). In the UC and CD patient groups, skeletal muscle index (SMI) and adjusted skeletal muscle mass were lower in patients with CD compared to UC (SMI: 32.8 ± 4.7 vs. 35.8 ± 5.5%, p < 0.004, adjusted skeletal muscle: 7.0 ± 1.5 vs. 8.2 ± 1.9 kg/m², p < 0.001). In conclusion, decreased trace elements, specifically iron, magnesium, and vitamin D, as well as skeletal muscle mass were observed to be prominent in patients with CD as compared to UC.

Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease; micronutrients; muscle.