BONE-MINERAL DENSITY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS TYPE-1 OF RECENT-ONSET

There is still controversy over the impact of diabetes control and dur ation on bone mass and growth parameters in children and adolescents w ith insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density (BMD) at axial and appendicular sit es, in children with noncomplicated IDDM of recent onset, and its rela tion to metabolic control and auxological parameters (weight, height, and puberal stage). Fifty-five young Spanish IDDM, otherwise healthy p atients (26 males, aged (SD 9.7 +/- 4.3 years) and 29 females, aged (S D 11.2 +/- 3.8 years) were studied. Duration of diabetes was 1-13.8 ye ars. Two hundred eighty-two age-matched, healthy, Spanish children ser ved as controls. HbA(1) was assayed by high pressure liquid chromatogr aphy (HPLC) and BMD was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) densitometry at the spine and forearm. Results showed a Gaussian BMD distribution of patients according to sex and age, without sexual-stag e differences. There was no correlation between BMD and glycated hemog lobin (average life disease or last HbA(1) values) or duration of the disease; moreover, no differences in bone mass were found between <3 a nd greater than or equal to 3 years of disease duration. Diabetes impa ct index (mean HbA(1) x duration of disease in months) showed no signi ficant influence of diabetes control on BMD. We could not demonstrate any impact of diabetes on BMD and growth parameters in children with I DDM of short duration.