INVESTIGATING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN SERUM BONE AND MINERAL METABOLISM MARKERS AND OSTEOPOROSIS IN DIABETIC ATHLETES: A STUDY ON RISK FACTORS

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine the interplay between serum bone metabolism, mineral metabolism indexes, and osteoporosis (OS) in athletes with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), identifying the associated risk factors. Methods: A cohort of 132 diabetic athletes was evaluated at our hospital from January 2019 to July 2021. They were categorized into group A (with OS, 56 athletes) and group B (T2DM without OS, 76 athletes). Serum markers such as type I collagen carboxy-terminal peptide (β-CTX), osteocalcin (OC), parathyroid hormone (PTH), pre-collagen type I amino-terminal peptide (PINP), 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), along with calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and bone mineral density (BMD) levels were measured. A multifactorial logistic regression was employed to analyze the factors influencing OS development in these diabetic athletes. Results: Significantly higher levels of β-CTX, OC, and PTH were observed in group A compared to group B (P<0.05), whereas PINP, 25(OH)D3, Ca, P, and BMD levels were notably lower in group A (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis indicated negative correlations between serum bone metabolism markers (β-CTX, OC, PTH) and BMD (P<0.05), and positive correlations between bone metabolism marker PINP, 25(OH)D3, and mineral metabolism indexes Ca, P with BMD (P<0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression identified increased BMI, HbA1c, β-CTX, OC, PTH, and decreased PINP, 25(OH)D3, Ca, P as significant risk factors for OS in diabetic athletes. Conclusion: Serum bone metabolism abnormalities and mineral metabolism disturbances significantly impact BMD in athletes with T2DM and OS, heightening the risk of developing OS. This underscores the critical need for targeted management strategies in diabetic athletes to mitigate these risk factors and preserve bone health.