Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) is an important extraintestinal complication of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 1 Almost 50% of children and adolescents with IBD have a BMD zscore of <−1 and about 25% have a BMD z-score <−2. 2 Children with IBD may have an increased risk for fractures during childhood, especially vertebral fractures. 3 Peak bone mass is reached by the third decade of life. Thus, children with IBD are at risk of failing to reach their optimal peak bone mass, and of having a higher incidence of fractures later, during adulthood. 4 A number of factors contribute to impaired BMD in IBD patients.These include: inflammatory cytokines, 5 glucocorticoid treatment, 6 malnutrition, 7 low calcium intake, vitamin D deficiency, 6 decreased Abbreviations: BMD, bone mineral density; DXA, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; SDS, standard deviation score; TBLH, total body less head. Abstract Aim: Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are prone to low bone mineral density (BMD). Our aim was to assess longitudinal changes in BMD in this population. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study of children with IBD, treated at two tertiary centres in Israel, who underwent two BMD measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Changes in lumbar spine BMD (∆L1-4 z-scores) were examined for correlations with clinical characteristics. Results: The cohort included 41 patients (age at diagnosis 12.1 ± 3.5 years, 23 females).The mean interval between the scans was 3.4 ± 2.0 years. There was a trend towards improvement in L1-4 z-scores (−1.64 ± 1.02 vs −1.45 ± 0.83, P = .12). ∆L1-4 z-scores correlated positively with ∆weight-standard deviation scores (SDS), ∆height-SDS and ∆BMI-SDS, and with age at the second scan (R = .55, P < .01; R = .42, P < .01; R = .42, P = .01; R = .35, P = .02, respectively); and negatively with L1-4 z-scores at the first scan (R = −.63, P < .01). Stepwise linear regression analysis identified the first scan L1-4 z-scores and ∆weight-SDS as independent predictors of ∆L1-4 z-scores. An L1-4 z-score ≤−2 at the first DXA scan was associated with significant improvement at the second scan.Conclusion: Improvement in BMD was more pronounced in children who gained weight or whose BMD was low at the first scan. K E Y W O R D S bone, bone mineral density, Crohn's disease, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, ulcerative colitis | 1027 LEVY-SHRAGA Et AL. activity, hypogonadism, decreased skeletal muscle mass 1 and possibly dysbiotic intestinal microbial flora. 8Only limited longitudinal data are available regarding changes in BMD in the course of IBD. Some studies in paediatric 9,10 and adult patients 11,12 found no significant changes in BMD z-scores during follow-up, despite clinical disease remission. However, others reported improvement with time. 13,14 The aim of our study was to examine longitudinal changes in BMD of children and adolescents with IBD, and associations of such changes with anthropometric parameters and disease activity.