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Impaired bone material properties present in postmenopausal women with diabetes
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Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes have impaired bone material properties when measured by reference point indentation, according to study findings published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
“This report implicates, for the first time, a role for advanced glycation end products (AGEs) as a potential mechanism to account for reduced bone material strength in [type 2 diabetes],” the researchers wrote.
Mishaela R. Rubin, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and colleagues evaluated 16 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes and 16 matched controls to determine whether bone material properties, measured by reference point indentation, and AGEs, determined by skin autofluorescence, are related in those with type 2 diabetes.
Bone material strength index (BMSi) was 9.2% lower in the diabetes group compared with controls (P = .02) and lowest in those with the longest duration of diabetes (P = .004). Researchers found an inverse correlation between HbA1c levels and BMSi in the diabetes group (P = .02). For both groups, there was no relationship between BMSi and total body fat, trunk fat mass or subtotal body fat (total minus head).
Compared with controls, skin autofluorescence was higher in the diabetes group (P < .001). Skin autofluorescence was linked to HbA1c for both groups combined (P = .001), but not with the diabetes group or controls alone. There was an inverse relationship with BMSi and skin autofluorescence in the diabetes group (P = .006); however, there was no relationship between BMSi and skin autofluorescence in controls. Age and skin autofluorescence accounted for 43% of the variance in BMSi in the diabetes group. BMSi decreased by 9.9 with each unit increase in skin autofluorescence (P = .04).
“Reference point indentation confirms that bone material strength is impaired in [type 2 diabetes],” the researchers wrote. “[Reference point indentation] offers information beyond that available from areal [bone mineral density] testing by DXA, making it a potentially valuable tool for the robust clinical assessment of bone quality in [type 2 diabetes] patients. The data further demonstrate that BMSi is most impaired in [type 2 diabetes] with increased [AGEs], as determined by skin autofluorescence. We conclude that the data support the hypothesis that [AGEs] play a potential role in the development of skeletal abnormalities in human [type 2 diabetes].” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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