Diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis

In 428 non selected diabetics, the authors determined the metacarpus index of Barnett-Nordin. Upon comparing the data with those of the control group it was shown that opposite to most references one has not to reckon in diabetes with the development of porosis and also that the decrease of the calcium content concomitant with age, respectively, does not significantly differ from that of the control group. Spontaneous vertebral compression occurred more rarely in diabetics than would have been expected on the basis of the literary data. The relation was examined between the type of diabetes, the time of its persisting and osteoporosis. The difference in the observations--compared to the previous ones - is, by the authors, assigned to the fact that nowadays no such lasting and severe metabolic disturbances develop in diabetics that would lead to rare-faction of the bony system and also that hormonal factors can become effective against the development of osteoporosis.