Assessment of Bone Mineral Density in Cirrhotic Patients at Ibn Sina Hospital

Bone diseases are prevalent in patients with liver cirrhosis. Bone mineral density is the most reliable method for detecting osteoporosis, osteopenia, and vulnerability to fractures, with an average prevalence of 35% worldwide. The study aimed to assess the relationship between bone mineral density and liver cirrhosis among Sudanese patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Ibn-Sina Specialized Hospital among Sudanese patients from June 2019 to November 2019. The study population consists of 80 patients suffering from liver cirrhosis and reduced bone mineral density. Bone mineral density was measured using DEXA. The diagnosis of osteoporosis and osteopenia was based on the criteria established by the WHO. Further, the severity of liver cirrhosis was assessed using MELD and Child-Pugh Turcott Scores. Ethical approval and written informed consent were obtained. However, data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. The analysis revealed that among 80 patients (63.8%) were males and (36.2%) were females, with hepatitis B being the primary cause (61.3%), alcohol consumption (8.8%), and hepatitis C (3.8%). The average MELD score was 15±6. However, abnormal DEXA values were observed in (63.8%) of the patients, with (55%) showing osteopenia and (8.8%) showing osteoporosis. Patients with encephalopathy had a high prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia with a significant p-value (p=0.002). Other prominent factors included increased bilirubin (P= 0.000), hypernatremia (p=0.000), advanced Child-pugh score (p= 0.041), and high MELD scoring of liver cirrhosis (p = 0.000), showed statistical significance among these patients. The study showed that patients with liver cirrhosis were more susceptible to reduced bone mineral density, emphasizing the need for timely diagnosis and treatment of bone health issues. However, further research is required to examine the correlation between liver cirrhosis and bone disease in Sudan’s population.