Endocrine Abstracts

INTRODUCTION

Osteopenia has been demonstrated in type I diabetes (insulin dependent diabetic patients)at some time during the course of the disease. The purpose of the present study was to assess any possible longitudinal changes in bone mineral density in children with I.D.D.M. whose duration ranged from 3 to 14 years.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Bone mineral density was studied in 14 children with I.D.D.M. (8 boys and 6 girls) with a mean age of 12,6±6,9 years and 3 to 14 years of disease activity. A number of 25 age,sex and pubertal stage matched healthy children served as controls. B.M.D.(g/cm²) wasmeasured at the lumbar spine (L1-L4) level using Dual Energy X-ray (DEXA). Depending on their levels of glucosylated hemoglobin (HbAlC),the patients were divided into two groups (group A with HbAlC>8% and group B with HbAlC>9%).All patients had an appropriate degree of physical activity and daily calcium intake as well as normal levels of calcium,phosphorus, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, 25OH vit D, parathormone and osteocalcin.

RESULTS

All B.M.D.studies of the lumbar spine were within normal limits. There were no significant differences in comparison with glycemic control, I.D.D.M. duration or mean HbAlC levels (p>0,05) in both groups.

CONCLUSION

In our cohort, no detrimental effect of type I diabetes on bone mineral density and metabolism was shown. No positive correlation between B.M.D.and duration of the disease or glycemic control could be established whatsoever.