Association Between Arterial Stiffness and Bone Microarchitectural Deterioration in Type 2 Diabetes: A
Yangting Wang1, Xiaoting Chen2, Jinjian Xu2
1Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Journal of Diabetes
|December 10, 2025
Summary
Arterial stiffness, measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), is linked to poorer bone microarchitecture in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. This suggests a connection between bone health and vascular health in T2DM.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cardiology
- Osteology
Background:
- Trabecular bone score (TBS) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) are key indicators of bone health and arterial stiffness, respectively.
- The relationship between TBS and baPWV in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remains underexplored.
- This study investigates factors affecting bone microarchitecture in T2DM patients, focusing on baPWV's association with TBS and bone mineral density (BMD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and bone microarchitecture (TBS) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients.
- To identify independent risk factors for deteriorated bone microarchitecture in T2DM.
- To assess the relationship between baPWV and bone mineral density (BMD) in T2DM.
Main Methods:
- 646 T2DM patients were analyzed.
- L1-L4 TBS was measured using dual-energy X-ray bone densitometry.
- Stepwise linear regression identified risk factors for TBS; linear regression analyzed baPWV-TBS and baPWV-BMD associations.
Main Results:
- Independent risk factors for L1-L4 TBS included age, BMI, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, diastolic blood pressure, collagen markers, and baPWV.
- baPWV showed a significant, independent negative association with L1-L4 TBS (β = -0.076).
- Elevated baPWV (>1531 cm/s) increased the risk of degraded bone microarchitecture; no significant association was found between baPWV and BMD.
Conclusions:
- Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is independently inversely associated with L1-L4 TBS in T2DM patients.
- This suggests a link between arterial stiffness and bone microarchitectural deterioration.
- The findings offer a novel clinical perspective on the bone-vascular axis in T2DM.
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