| Objective To investigate the relationship between serum levels of Apelin-13 and bone mineral density (BMD) as well as other parameters, and to determine the influence of Apelin-13 on osteoporosis in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. Methods 152 patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from our hospital between January 2015 and September 2017. The patients were divided into three groups, in which 38 patients were in the osteoporosis group, 50 in the osteopenia group and 64 in the normal bone mineral density (BMD) group. Clinical data, including age, gender, height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and disease duration were recorded for all patients. Blood samples were collected for the measurement of Apelin-13, Procollagen type-I N propeptide (PINP) and Cross-linked carboxy terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (ICTP), and BMD was tested using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner. Results The level of Apelin-13 in osteoporosis group was significantly lower than that in osteopenia and normal BMD groups (P<0.05), and the value in osteopenia group was significant lower than that in normal BMD group (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that in the included patients the level of Apelin-13 was positively correlated with the value of BMD and PINP (P<0.05), but negatively correlated with age and ICTP (P<0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrated that there was a close relationship among Apelin-13, BMD, ICTP and PINP. |