Background/Objective: Fracture risk is increased in patients with type 1 diabetes.We aimed to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and to identify risk factors associated to lower BMD in Danish children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Methods:In this cross-sectional study BMD Z-score were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) from a cohort of otherwise healthy children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Puberty Tanner stage, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), disease duration, and age at diabetes onset were investigated for associations to DXA results. Results:We included 85 patients, 39 girls, 46 boys, with a median (range) age of 13.2 (6-17) years; disease duration 4.2 (0.4-15.9) years; HbA1c of the last year 61.8 (41-106) mmol/mol. Our patients were taller and heavier than the background population. When adjusted for increased height SD and body mass index SD, no overall difference in BMD Z-score was found. When stratified by sex, boys had significantly increased adjusted mean BMD Z-score, 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13;0.62), girls; −0.27 (95% CI: −0.53;0.00). For the whole cohort, a negative correlation between mean latest year HbA1c and BMD Z-score was found, adjusted ß −0.019 (95%CI: −0.034;−0.004, P = 0.01). Poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 58 mmol/mol [7.5%]) within the latest year was likewise negatively correlated with BMD Z-score, adjusted ß −0.35 (95%CI: −0.69;−0.014, P = 0.04). Conclusions:Our study suggests that elevated blood glucose has a negative effect on the bones already before adulthood in patients with type 1 diabetes, although no signs of osteoporosis were identified by DXA. K E Y W O R D S adolescent, bone density, child, diabetes mellitusglycated hemoglobin A, type 1

IntroductionPatients with type 1 diabetes has an increased risk of fracture. We wished to evaluate estimated bone strength in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and assess peripheral bone geometry, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and microarchitecture.Research design and methodsIn a cross-sectional study, high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) was performed of the radius and tibia in 84 children with type 1 diabetes and 55 healthy sibling controls. Estimated bone strength was assessed using a microfinite element analysis solver. Multivariate regression analyses were performed adjusting for age, sex, height and body mass index.ResultsThe median age was 13.0 years in the diabetes group vs 11.5 years in healthy sibling controls. The median (range) diabetes duration was 4.2 (0.4−15.9) years; median (range) latest year Hb1Ac was 7.8 (5.9−11.8) % (61.8 (41−106) mmol/mol). In adjusted analyses, patients with type 1 diabetes had reduced estimated bone strength in both radius, β −390.6 (−621.2 to −159.9) N, p=0.001, and tibia, β −891.9 (−1321 to −462.9) N, p<0.001. In the radius and tibia, children with type 1 diabetes had reduced cortical area, trabecular vBMD, trabecular number and trabecular bone volume fraction and increased trabecular inhomogeneity, adjusted p<0.05 for all. Latest year HbA1c was negatively correlated with bone microarchitecture (radius and tibia), trabecular vBMD and estimated bone strength (tibia).ConclusionChildren with type 1 diabetes had reduced estimated bone strength. This reduced bone strength could partly be explained by reduced trabecular bone mineral density, adverse microarchitecture and reduced cortical area. We also found increasing latest year HbA1c to be associated with several adverse changes in bone parameters. HR-pQCT holds potential to identify early adverse bone changes and to explain the increased fracture risk in young patients with type 1 diabetes.

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