Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the geometric parameters of the femur in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without osteoporosis.

Materials and methods: There were examined totally 97 type 2 diabetic females. We included in our study 60 type 2 diabetic females without osteoporosis (T-score more than – 2.5 in axial skeleton), age: 56.9(53.8–60.9) yrs., duration of DM: 6.5(5–11.5)yrs., HbA1c: 8.6(6.9–10.1)%, BMI: 33.2(29.3–36.8) kg/m²). The control group consisted of 45 women age: 56.2 (51.4–59.2), BMI: 31.6(27–36). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured with DXA. Geometric parameters were determined using Advanced Hip Analysis program including hip axis length (HAL), cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), cross-sectional area CSA and the femur strength index (FSI).

Results: Age, height and weight were not different between T2DM and controls. In group T2DM duration of menopause (T2DM: 6.5(3–10)yrs. vs controls: 5(2–8) yrs., P=0.009 respectively) was longer than in the control group. It has been established that the BMD (T-score) of the lumbar spine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was lower in comparison with the control group (T2DM: T-score −0.4((−1.3)−0.3) vs controls: T-score −0.1 ((−0.7)−0.6), P=0.023 respectively). However, the BMD of the proximal femur (T2DM: T-score 0.5((−0.35)−1.6) vs controls: T-score 0.6 (0.2–1.2), P=0.578 respectively) and femoral neck (T2DM: T-score −0.25((−1)−0.5) vs controls: T-score −0.1 ((−0.5)−0.6), P=0.097 respectively) was comparable in both groups. T2DM females had lower CSMI (T2DM: 10169 (8777–11482) vs. controls 11106(9951–12803), P=0.012 respectively) and CSA (T2DM: 145.5(128–162.5) vs. control 151(141–167) P=0.044 respectively) compared with the control group. The HAL, FSI and neck-shaft angle of the femoral neck in both groups were comparable. With comparable anthropometric parameters and BMD of the femur these changes may indicate an increased cortical porosity of bone and a poor bone quality.

Conclusions: In female with DM 2 type hip geometric parameters CSA and CSMI were lower in comparison to the control group. The results of our own research indicate that hip geometry structural changes might potentially predispose to higher fracture risk in T2D females.