Bone mineral density at time of clinical diagnosis of adult-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To study bone mineral density (BMD) and bone remodeling factors at the time of diagnosis of adult-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: In 22 men and 10 women, who ranged in age from 20 to 39 years, a study was undertaken promptly after diagnosis of type 1 DM (on the basis of criteria established by the World Health Organization). Before any treatment, the clinical history, glycemia, ketonuria, basal and glucagon-stimulated C-peptide levels, islet cell antibodies (ICA), glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA), and bone remodeling variables were recorded for all the study subjects. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR1000) was performed to measure BMD in the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), and Ward's triangle. RESULTS: Of the 32 patients, 24 (75%) showed positive levels of ICA or GADA (or both), whereas 8 (25%) tested negative. The BMD values-Z-scores (standard deviation [SD] adjusted for age and sex)-were lower among the patients with DM than in a matched healthy population in both the LS (-0.61 +/- 1.23 SD; P = 0.008) and the FN (-0.38 +/- 1.00 SD; P = 0.003). Twelve patients had a T-score between -2.5 SD and -1 SD in the LS, and 14 had the same scores in the FN and were classified as having osteopenia. A correlation was found between BMD values and C-peptide levels in the LS (r = 0.231; P = 0.02) and the FN (r = 0.27; P = 0.01). The BMD values did not correlate with bone remodeling markers, hemoglobin A1c, or immunologic variables. CONCLUSION: We found reduced bone mass in patients with type 1 DM at the time of the clinical diagnosis. A high percentage of patients with DM have osteopenia, which may not, therefore, be a late complication of type 1 DM. These findings need to be confirmed in larger studies.

Intensive insulin therapy and bone mineral density in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a prospective study.

To determine the effect of metabolic control on bone mineral density (BMD) in type 1 diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM), we studied BMD (by dual-energy X-ray energy absorptiometry) and bone remodeling parameters in 62 patients with type 1 DM both before and 7 years after commencement of intensive insulin therapy. Overall outcomes after the 7-year treatment included the stabilization of BMD at all sites, as well as a significant decrease in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) (4.302 +/- 2.62 vs 2.65 +/- 0.97 IU/I; p=0.0001) and increase in intact parathyroid hormone (PTHi) (28.05 +/- 15.7 vs 39.78 +/- 22.41 ng/l; p=0.005). Presence of diabetic retinopathy (RTP) versus its absence (non-RTP) was associated with lower BMD in femoral neck (FN) (0.831 +/- 0.142 vs 0.756 +/- 0.153 mg/ cm2; p = 0.03) and Ward's triangle (WT) (0.736 +/- 0.165 vs 0.632 +/- 0.172 mg/cm2; p=0.03), and with a lower T-score in FN (-0.93 +/- 1.34 vs -1.70 +/- 1.46; p = 0.04) and WT (-0.72 +/- 1.42 vs -1.540 +/- 1.55; p = 0.04) and Z-score in FN (-0.591 +/- 1.23 vs -1.132 +/- 1.46; p=0.01). The percentage of patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis in the RTP group was significantly higher than in the non-RTP group (72% vs 53%, p=0.05; RR= 3.2) and the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of the RTP group were also higher (8.53 +/- 1.6% vs 7.1+/- 1.1%; p=0.05). The improvement in metabolic control, increase in body mass index and decrease in resorption parameters could contribute to the stabilization of bone mass in type I DM but the presence of retinopathy is a critical factor in the progression of diabetic osteopenia.

Bone mineral density measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry in Spanish patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Previous studies suggest that low bone mass is a potential complication of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, the factors that influence diabetic osteopenia are not well established. In order to evaluate the prevalence and magnitude of diabetic osteopenia and its association with clinical and metabolic variables, we studied 94 consecutive patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Their age ranged from 20 to 56 years and duration of diabetes varied from 1 to 35 years. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine and proximal femur and the values were expressed as z-score. The presence and extent of microvascular complications, degree of metabolic control, and other risk factors for osteoporosis were recorded and some biochemical markers of bone metabolism were assessed. Diabetic patients showed reduced BMD in all sites (lumbar spine: -0.89 +/- 1.21; femoral neck: -0.99 +/- 1.24; Ward triangle: -1.05 +/- 1.24; P < 0.0001). Of the 94 patients 19.1% met diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis. BMD correlated with body mass index in all sites and with the duration of disease in Ward's triangle. Presence and extent of diabetic complications were associated with lower BMD, as was smoking. No correlation was found between BMD and biochemical markers. In conclusion, osteopenia is a common complication in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Microvascular complications are a critical point in the progression of diabetic osteopenia. Other risk factors for osteoporosis (nutritional status and smoking) must be taken into account.

[Gestational diabetes: new approaches to an old and growing problem]. / Diabetes gestacional: nuevos planteamientos a un antiguo y creciente problema.

Gestational diabetes is defined as glucose intolerance of variable severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Gestational Diabetes generally disappears as soon as the pregnancy is terminated. The prevalence of gestational diabetes is 2% to 13%, depending on the genetic characteristics and environment of the population under study. Classic risk factors identify a population of women at risk of gestational diabetes (obesity, family history of diabetes, or previous poor obstetric history); however, these risk factors identify only 60% of women diagnosed as having gestational diabetes. Therefore, it is necessary to screen all pregnant women, regardless of history, for gestational diabetes. The optimal time to screen for gestational diabetes in pregnancy is between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. The screening test consist of 50 g of oral glucose followed by a plasma determination at 1 hour. If the plasma glucose 1 hour after the oral load is > or = 140 mg/dl, a glucose tolerance test is indicated. The goal of management (diet, insulin and exercise) of the gestational diabetic women is to maintain normoglycemia, needed to avoid complications for the fetus and mother.