Relationship between bone mineral density, age and bone metabolic markers in old male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To investigate the change in bone mineral density(BMD) and its pathophysiology, so as to study the morbidity and pattern of osteoporosis in old male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(BM). Methods Dual energy X ray absorptiometry(DEXA) was used to determine the BMD in 70 old male type 2 DM patients. Serum osteocalcin(BGP), tartrate resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP), alkaline phosphatase(ALP),urinary calcium(Ca), hydroxyprolin (Hop), fasting blood glucose(FBG),postprandial blood glucose(PBG) and hemoglobin A 1C were also measured, and were compared with an age and BMI matched control group. Results Compared with normal group, the BMD in old male diabetic patients signficicantly decreased. Serum osteocalcin was significantly lower than that of the controls ( P 0 001). serum parathyroid hormone, TRAP, urinary Ca and Hop were significantly higher than those of the controls. The changes in BMD significantly negatively correlated with duration of disease, age, HbA 1C , FBG, PBG for old male diabetic patients, meanwhile the changes in BMD significantly positively correlated with bone mass index. Conclusion There is a higher morbidity of osteoporosis in old male type 2 DM patients. The bone change is characterized by high bone absorption rate and low bone formation rate.The mechanism of osteoporosis is considered as a result of not only the increase in serum glucose, the increased loss of calcium and absorption of bone tissue induced by the secondary hyper parathyroidism, but also the islet cell hypofunction.