CREATININE HEIGHT INDEX AND LEAN BODY-MASS IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS FOLLOWED FOR 7 YEARS FROM ONSET

The 24-hour urinary creatinine excretion value can be used as an index of protein nutrition; the creatinine height index and lean body mass can be estimated from this value. On the basis of longitudinally measu red 24-hour urinary creatinine excretions during the initial 7 years o f type 1 diabetes in an incidence cohort of 147 adult patients, we stu died creatinine height index and lean body mass and possible relations hips to sequential measurements of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The pa tients were divided into four groups according to their glycemic contr ol during these 7 years: I, HbA1c < 7.4% (n = 37); II, HbA1c 7.4% to 8 .2% (n = 37)-, III, HbA1c 8.3% to 8.9% (n- 38); IV, HbA1c > 8.9% (n = 35). One year after the onset of diabetes, height indices were as foll ows (% of normal values, median and quartiles): I, 104% (90 to 116); I I, 101% (78 to 105); III, 121% (92 to 128); IV, 87% (78 to 109) ([IV] < [I to III]; p < .05). During the following 6 years no significant di fferences in height index were observed among the four groups of patie nts at any point in time Slightly higher calculated lean body mass val ues were found in the most well-controlled patients, but otherwise no differences were found in lean body mass. It is concluded that, apart from the first year, indices of protein nutrition remain normal during the initial 7 years of type 1 diabetes, even in patients with poor gl ycemic control.