Relationship between serum pentosidine and vertebral fractures in type 2 diabetic patients

Objective To investigate the changes of bone mineral density (BMD) and the relationship between serum pentosidine and vertebral fractures in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Methods A total of 100 cases of patients with T2DM were enrolled as diabetes group and 70 cases of nondiabetic persons were enrolled as control group. They were all older than 60 years. Serum pentosidine, bone turnover markers and BMD of lumbar spine were determined. Thoracic and lumbar spinal X rays were taken to determined the vertebral fractures.Differences of BMD of lumbar spine and vertebral fracture rates between two groups were compared, and correlation of serum pentosidine levels and vertebral fractures were analyzed. Results Level of pentosidine and incidence of vertebral fractures were higher in diabetes group(t=5.764, χ2=6.286, all P 0.05). Correlation analysis showed level of pentosidine was positively correlated with vertebral fracture (r=0.236, P=0.018). Logistic regression revealed pentosidine was an independent determinant of vertebra fractures (OR=1.008, 95%CI: 1.001-1.015, P=0.032). Conclusion Serum pentosidine may be used as an index for monitoring the risk of vertebral fractures in elderly diabetic patients. Key words: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Pentosidine; Bone mineral density; Vertebral fractures