Bone status in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes: A 10-year longitudinal study

Introduction: This study presents a 10-year longitudinal assessment of bone status in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Material and methods: Thirty-two patients (12 female, aged 20.5 ± 3.93 years, T1D duration 13.9 ± 1.97 years) were studied using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Standard deviation scores (SDS) for these results were calculated. The following clinical parameters were analysed: Sex, age, T1D duration, anthropometric parameters, daily insulin requirement (DIR), mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the year preceding the examination, medication other than insulin, history of bone fractures, and comorbidities. Results: The current and past (measured 10 years earlier) QUS results did not differ and showed a significant correlation (r = 0.55, p = 0.001). We found no relation of QUS results and anthropometric parameters or gender. DXA parameters did not correlate with the present QUS measurement. DXA and QUS results were independent of HbA1c, co-morbidities, or intake of additional medicaments. Conclusions: Bone status parameters of the examined patients with currently suboptimal glycaemic control were found to be lowered in comparison to a normative reference population, both at baseline and follow-up, although no further deterioration was observed during the 10-year follow-up period.