A recent study was conducted to investigate the association among non-insulin-dependent diabetes, bone mineral density (BMD), and cardiovascular risk factors. The results indicate that diabetic women have a higher bone mineral density than the controls, and there is no relationship between osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk factors in diabetics.
It has generally so far been believed that Type II diabetics have bone mass alterations and may have a higher risk of hip fractures. They also are believed to have increased cardiovascular risk factorsThe news published in the November-December issue of Journal of Diabetes. For the study, 92 patients (36 males and 56 females) were studied and cardiovascular risk factors were measured: total cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein(a), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), glucose, HbA1c, and microalbuminuria.
The densitometric studies were carried out in the calcaneal region using a DEXA densitometer. The diabetic women had a higher BMD than the control group. The women showed a positive relationship between BMD and triglycerides and a negative relationship with HDL-C. The men had a BMD similar to that of the control group, and there was no relationship with the cardiovascular risk factors.
When a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with the presence of osteoporosis as a dependent variable and each lipid level, age, sex, and BMI as independent variables, only age and BMI were found to be associated with the presence of osteoporosis.
This study provides evidence for an association between non-insulin-dependent diabetes and elevated bone density at the calcaneal region in women.
The authors conclude from the study that the diabetic women had a higher BMD than the controls, and there was no relationship between osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk factors in diabetics.
