Risk factors of osteoporosis in elderly type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the risk factors for osteoporosis in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods The levels of bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine, femur neck and hip bone were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 202 T2DM patients aged 60 years and over (102 males and 100 females). Based on the level of BMD, all patients were divided into 3 groups, including the normal group, the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group.The markers of glucose, lipid and bone metabolism were examined and compared among groups. Results In males, patients from the osteoporosis group showed shorter duration of T2DM (F=4.184, P=0.018), lower levels of uric acid (F =4.101, P=0.019) and 25-(OH)D (F =5.712, P=0.004), and higher levels of HbA1c (F =3.621, P=0.030) among groups.In females, patients in the osteoporosis group had markedly decreased levels of body mass index (F=8.056, P=0.001) and total cholesterol (F=4.787, P=0.011), increased levels of triglyceride (F=3.502, P=0.034) and osteocalcin (F=3.724, P=0.028). Additionally, Logistic regression analysis revealed that duration of T2DM (β=-0.059, P=0.044) and uric acid (β=0.006, P=0.012) were the risk factors for osteoporosis in males patients with T2DM.And age (β=0.287, P=0.017), HbA1c (β=2.193, P=0.002) and osteocalcin (β=0.447, P=0.003) were associated with osteoporosis in T2DM females patients. Conclusions The risk factors for osteoporosis in T2DM males are the duration of diabetes and uric acid, while in females are age, HbA1c, and osteocalcin. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Osteoporosis