Biochemical relationships between bone turnover markers and blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus develop many complications including osteopenia, which is associated with high fracture risk. Osteocalcin is a non collagenous protein derived from the osteoblasts. Recently, it was found that osteocalcin enhances the pancreatic beta cell proliferation, insulin secretion and protection against type 2 diabetes.

Investigation of the association of serum osteocalcin and other bone turnover markers with blood glucose level and diabetes mellitus duration in type 2 diabetic patients.

Twenty diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients together with 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Serum osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium concentrations were measured by commercial ELISA kits.

The results showed that type 2 diabetic patients exhibited a significantly lower serum osteocalcin and calcium (p=0.0001 and 0.002 respectively) and a higher alkaline phosphatase (p=0.008) compared to the controls. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that serum osteocalcin was inversely associated with fasting blood glucose and Diabetes Mellitus duration (β=- 0.018; p=0.007 and β=- 0.085; p=0.014 respectively) in Type 2 diabetic patients. In addition, alkaline phosphatase was positively associated (β=0.828; p=0.015) while serum calcium was negatively associated (β=- 0.046; p=0.048) with Diabetes Mellitus duration.

These results refer to the strong association between diabetes and bone turnover markers and call for monitoring of diabetes-associated osteopenia in type 2 diabetic patients.