| Objective To observe the effect of insulin and glucose-reducing drug therapy on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), to measure the height and weight of all patients, to analyze the relationships among the duration of diabetes (YSM), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, serum C-peptide and osteoporosis with T2DM, and to discuss the influencial factors and possible mechanisms of osteoporosis with T2DM. Methods Two hundred and seventy-six patients with T2DM were selected and divided into 2 groups according to the treatment they had received: insulin group (Group A) and glucose-reducing drug group (Group B). BMD, body mass index (BMI), serum C-peptide, fasting blood sugar, and HbA1c of all patients in both groups were tested. The results were compared according to YSM and age division. Results 1) In elderly patients, the incidence of osteoporosis between both groups had no significant difference. 2) BMD of the patients who received early and long-term insulin therapy was higher than that of patients in glucose-reducing drug group, and the difference was significant (P<0.01). 3) BMD was negatively correlated with HbA1c, while it was positively correlated with fasting insulin and serum C-peptide. Results Early intervention of insulin can reduce the incidence of osteoporosis and the extent of osteoporosis. Nevertheless, for senior patients or patients with the duration of diabetes for more than 15 years, the effect of insulin or glucose-reducing drugs on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis has no significant difference. HbA1c, fasting insulin, and serum C-peptide have some effect on bone metabolism. |