Dong-Jin Kwon

Bone Mineral Density of the Spine Using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Patients with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

To evaluate the influence of non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) on bone mineral density (BMD), we measured BMD in 185 female patients with NIDDM using dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA). BMD was measured in lumbar vertebrae (L2–4). BMD is slightly higher in the diabetic patients compared with control subjects and bone loss related to menopause starts before the onset of menopause. The BMD of postmenopausal women showed a definite decrease with aging and there was abrupt bone loss after 55 years of age (p < 0.05). In relation to the duration of diabetes, the decrease of BMD for 15 years was 10.0%. BMD was negatively correlated with age, years since menopause (YSM), and disease duration (r = ‐ 0.584, r = ‐ 0.470, r = ‐0.186). These results suggest that age, YSM, and the duration of disease appear to be the risk factors for decreased BMD in the diabetic patients.