Abstract
Bone mineral content was determined in 38 children with insulin dependant diabetes mellitus of various duration. Direct photon absorptiometric scans were made on the radius, ulna and humerus of these patients, and the results were compared to those obtained on normal children taking into account (by multiple regression analysis) age, sex, height and weight. The children with diabetes mellitus deviated from expected bone values by -14.3% (about 1.5 standard deviations). In contrast there was only a minor deviation (-4.6%) from expected height. The extent of bone mineral deviation was not correlated with height deviation indicating that the bone mineral deficit was not associated with growth retardation. The patients were also divided into 4 subgroups based on degree of disease control. The average deviation of bone mineral content was over -10% in each subgroup. There was no association between disease control and bone mineral deviancy (nor height deviancy). These results appear to confirm findings reported in the literature that bone mineral is reduced in diabetes, but this reduction seems to be related to the underlying disease rather than its treatment or degree of control.
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Barman, G., Mazess, R. & Chesney, R. DIABETES MELLITUS AND BONE MINERAL. Pediatr Res 11, 510 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00844
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00844
