Mortality Risk Higher in Diabetes Patients With Low Bone Mineral Density

Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and vertebral fractures are associated with increased all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a recent study.

Although it has been established that patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of fragility fracture, the association between diabetes-related fractures and all-cause mortality is unknown.
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The researchers conducted a historical cohort study in which they assessed all-cause mortality and bone parameters in 797 patients from 1997 to 2009, excluding 78 patients because of diseases that affected bone metabolism, and 308 who were lost to follow-up.

In the remaining 411 patients, the researchers investigated the associations of bone turnover markers, BMD, and the prevalence of vertebral fractures with mortality using Cox regression analyses.

Overall, 56 participants died during the 7-year follow-up. The researchers’ analyses showed that reduced BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, as well as severe vertebral fractures, were associated with higher mortality risk. They also found that decreased serum osteocalcin levels were associated with mortality in women, but not in men.

“The present study is the first to show the association of reduced BMD and severe vertebral fractures with increased all-cause mortality in patients with [type 2 diabetes]. Moreover, higher serum osteocalcin was significantly associated with decreased mortality in women with [type 2 diabetes].”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Miyake H, Kanazawa I, Sugimoto T. Association of bone mineral density, bone turnover markers, and vertebral fractures with all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus [published online September 30, 2017]. Calcif Tissue Int. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-017-0324-x.