Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: There is compelling evidence that the decline in appendicular muscle mass is a poor prognostic factor for the development of chronic complications of diabetes. In addition to chronic hyperglycemia, reduction of muscle component may be determined by metabolic disorders. Therefore, the aim of study was to assess the possible links between serum myostatin, IGF-1 and a reduction in muscle mass in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Materials and methods: Ninety-five patients with T1DM (60 women, 35 males) (mean age: 30.6 (24.9–37.5) years, duration of DM: 13 (7–20) years, age of manifestation: 17 (12–23) years, HbA1c: 8.2 (7.6–8.9%) and 55 (31 women, 24 men) controls. The research involved anthropometry of patients, general clinic examination, serum myostatin and IGF-1, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry using a program ‘Body composition’.

Results: There was a reduction of lean component of the arms (U=248; P=0.017), legs (U=208; P=0.002), total appendicular (U=219; P=0.004) and total lean (U=259; P=0.027) component in men with T1DM. Differences of lean mass at women with T1DM were in the increase of lean component of arms (U=6774, P=0.044) and lean android (U=604, P=0.008). There were revealed comparable levels of serum myostatin (589 (457.26–826) and 675.38 (491.94–750.34), U=838; P=0.98) and IGF-1 (136.89 (101.13–177.97) vs 129.45 (107.93–222.46), U=695.5; P=0.285) in patients with T1DM and controls. Taking into account gender differences the content of lean component, men compared to women with T1DM showed significant high levels of myostatin (792.64 (557.03–972.83 529.23) vs (443.55–625.86) pg/ml, U=232.5; P=0.006) and lower content of IGF-1 (146.77 (121.2–231.36) vs 106.15 (96.28–138.67) ng/ml, U=227.5; P=0.004).

Conclusions: Elevated levels of myostatin in men with diabetes can cause more expressed loss of muscle mass. Higher content IGF-1 explains the increase in the lean component of the abdomen in women.