ABSTRACT
Prevalence and severity of osteopenia were evaluated in 50 patients with uncoinplicated type 1 diabetes mellitus with mean age [39.9 +/- 14.8] and mean disease duration [12.3 +/- 4.2]. Bone mineral density was measured by quantitative ultrasonometry . In addition , markers of bone formation [plasma insuline - like growth factor [IGF-1], serum alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and serum osteocalcin] and markers of bone resoiption [urinary execretion of calcium and of cross-linked N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen , both corrected for the execretion of creatinine] were measured in diabetic patients and in 20 healthy controls , matched for sex , age , height, weight and body mass index.Osteopenia was found in 62% of type 1 diabetic patients [P< 0.001] compared with controls who showed no osteopenia . in the whole group of diabetic patients, the mean plasma IGF-1 level tend to be lowered compared with that in the controls [P<0.05]. Also, the serum level of osteocalcin was lowered in diabetic patients compared with that in the controls [P<0.01] . There were no differences between the mean serum ALP levels in both diabetic patients and control groups. As regard to the bone resorption markers, there was significant increase in urinary level of cross- linked N- telopeptide of type 1 collagen compared with that in thecontrols [P<0.001]. However, urinary calcium level was similar in both groups bone mineral density did not correlated with plasma level of glycosylated hemoglobin and not related to any of bone resorption markers.Our data demonstrate that in male patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, osteopenia is the consequance of lowered bone formation and increased bone resorption