Quantitative ultrasound measurements in children and adolescents with: type 1 diabetes

The aim of the current study was to evaluate bone status at the radius and phalanx in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes by using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements. Thirty pediatric patients, 16 male and 14 female, with type 1 diabetes of duration of 5 to 177 months and mean (+/- SD) age 11.3 +/- 4.6 years were studied. QUS measurements were carried out using the Sunlight Omnisense 7000 S device. Speed of sound (SOS) was measured at the radius and tibia. Diabetic control was assessed by glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) measurements. Male and female patients with type 1 diabetes did not have significantly different SOS or HbA(1c) values. SOS Z-scores at both the radius and tibia were negatively associated with duration of disease ( r = -0 41 and r = -0.37 for the radius and tibia respectively, P < 0.05 for both correlations). Seven of 15 patients with duration of disease of >6 years had diminished SOS, defined as Z-score of