[Diabetic osteopathies. 6. Treatment and its pitfalls]

The basic prerequisite of treatment of diabetic osteopenias is perfect metabolic compensation of diabetes. Insulin administration is an advantage in this respect, as it enhances calcium absorption from the gut and reduces its urinary excretion. Conversely, oral antidiabetics interfere in a negative way with vitamin D metabolism and thus also calcium metabolism and mineralization of bone. The combination of calcium, small doses of vitamin D, NaF and exercise used in the treatment of diabetic osteoporoses leads in general to a significant rise of the calcium serum level, an insignificant rise of the phosphorus level and it reduces alkaline phosphatase activity. A certain disadvantage is the elevated urinary calcium excretion. The main drug in diabetic osteomalacia are usually large doses of vitamin D. The rise of the serum calcium level improves the metabolic compensation of diabetes in a linear fashion. Thiazide diuretics used to reduce excessive calciuria cause slight deterioration of the glucose tolerance but the compensation does not cause major difficulties.