The effect of pramlintide (Amylin analogue) treatment on bone metabolism and bone density in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Amylin is a 37-amino-acid peptide related to CGRP and calcitonin. It is co- secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta-cells. Amylin is deficient with type 1 diabetes mellitus. To study the in vivo effects of amylin in humans, diabetic patients are an adequate model of chronic amylin deficiency. We i nvestigated the effect of a 12 months pramlintide therapy (amylin analogue) on bone metabolism in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. 23 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (age 45.2 +/- 10.3 years, duration of diabete s mellitus 20.7 +/- 9.8 years, 13 male, 10 female) injected themselves 0.1 ml pramlintide, a human amylin analogue, four times per day for a period of 12 months. Bone mineral density measurements of the lumbar spine by dual-e nergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and biochemical markers of bone metabolis m (serum-calcium, PTH, osteocalcin, urinary pyridinium cross-links) were ob tained before and one year after starting pramlintide therapy. None of the following parameters changed significantly: bone density, serum calcium, PT H, osteocalcin or pyridinium cross-links. Only osteocalcin decreased from 7 .205 ng/ml to 5.825 ng/ml, but this change was not statistically significan t. We conclude that a one-year pramlintide therapy does not affect bone den sity or bone metabolism in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus without o steopenia (based on the markers used).