Poor Glycemic Control Is Associated With Impaired Bone Accrual in the Year Following a Diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract Context Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with an increased fracture risk across the life course. The effects on bone accrual early in the disease are unknown. Objective To characterize changes in bone density and structure over the year following diagnosis of T1D and to identify contributors to impaired bone accrual. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Academic children’s hospital. Participants Thirty-six children, ages 7 to 17 years, enrolled at diagnosis of T1D. Outcomes Whole body and regional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and tibia peripheral quantitative computed tomography obtained at baseline and 12 months. The primary outcome was bone accrual assessed by bone mineral content (BMC) and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) velocity z score. Results Participants had low total body less head (TBLH) BMC (z = −0.46 ± 0.76), femoral neck aBMD (z = −0.57 ± 0.99), and tibia cortical volumetric BMD (z = −0.44 ± 1.11) at diagnosis, compared with reference data, P < 0.05. TBLH BMC velocity in the year following diagnosis was lower in participants with poor (hemoglobin A1c ≥7.5%) vs good (hemoglobin A1c