Diabetes mellitus type 1 as a risk factor of osteoporosis

Osteopenia, osteoporosis and bone fractures are significantly more common in type 1 diabetes patients than in healthy population. The main factors associated with decreased bone mineral density are the onset of diabetes before puberty, long duration of the disease and poor metabolic control. Pathogenic factors of osteoporosis in type 1 diabetes are insulin and IGF-1 deficiency, hyperglycaemia, ketoacidosis, dyslipidaemia, active vitamin D deficiency, increased urine calcium excretion, decreased levels of sex hormones and coexistence of coeliac disease or other autoimmunological diseases. In our paper we describe mechanisms that may disturb bone remodelling and be a cause of inappropriate function of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in type 1 diabetes. Presented data indicate usefulness of periodic densitometric examinations in patients with type 1 diabetes.