Evaluation of bone loss in Diabetic Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

• Background: Osteoporosis and diabetes mellitus are major and growing public health problems particularly among postmenopausal women. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between osteoporosis and osteopenia with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in postmenopausal women.
• Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study, we compared 200 diabetic postmenopausal women with 400 non-diabetic postmenopausal women over the age of 60 years. Age, Body Mass Index (BMI), T score of the lumbar vertebra (L2-L4) and femoral neck were measured with Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and were compared between the two groups. Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) was also measured in patients with type 2 DM and its relationship with osteoporosis was studied. Chi-square, Fisher’s exact test and Independent T-test was used for analyzing the data. The statistical significance was set at a P value of 0.05 or lower.
• Results: Mean, SD ages were 65.23±4.80 vs. 66.91±5.78 years and BMI were 28.94±4.06 vs. 31.65±4.42 kg/m2 in non-diabetic and diabetic groups, respectively. Lumber T scores was -2.10±1.08 vs.-2.16±1.27 (P=0.60), femoral neck T-score was -0.72±1.00 vs. -1.09±0.96 (P=0.00) in non-diabetic and diabetic groups, respectively. There was a significant difference in femoral neck T score between the diabetic and non-diabetic group (P=0.00). In diabetic women, bone loss was more common in those with HbA1C ≥7 compare to those with HbA1C <7 (P=0.006).
• Conclusion: Osteopenia and osteoporosis is more common in diabetic postmenopausal women compare to the non-diabetic postmenopausal women.
• Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal women