In this recent article published in the journal Bone, scientists in Italy conducted a study "To investigate the relationship between osteoporotic vertebral fractures and rosiglitazone treatment and the influence on this association of bone mineral density (BMD) and duration of diabetes. and methods: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated BMD by DXA and the prevalence of radiological vertebral fractures identified by a quantitative morphometric analysis in 43 males with type 2 diabetes under metformin alone (22 cases) or associated with rosiglitazone (21 cases) and in 22 control nondiabetic subjects attending an out-patient bone clinic."
"Vertebral fractures were found in 46.5% of diabetic males (p = 0.06 vs. control subjects) with higher prevalence in patients treated with rosiglitazone plus metformin as compared with those under treatment with metformin alone (66.7% vs. 27.3%: p=0.01). The patients on rosiglitazone plus metformin were significantly younger and with greater body mass index (13101). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that rosiglitazone plus metformin treatment maintained the significant correlation with the Occurrence of vertebral fractures (odds ratio 6.5, C.I. 1.3-38.1, p = 0.03) even after correction for age and BMI. Within the rosiglitazone-exposed group, the occurrence of vertebral fractures was not correlated with BMD, age, duration of diabetes, duration of medical treatment, dose of rosiglitazone, serum glycosylated hemoglobin and total testosterone Values. The use of rosiglitazone is associated with an increased prevalence of vertebral fractures in males with type 2 diabetes," wrote T. Mancini and colleagues, University of Brescia (see also Type 2 Diabetes).
The researchers concluded: "These findings call for a wide screening of bone status in diabetic patients treated with rosiglitazone and the use of spine X-ray in combination with DXA in this assessment."
Mancini and colleagues published their study in Bone (Vertebral fractures in males with type 2 diabetes treated with rosiglitazone. Bone, 2009;45(4):784-788).
Additional information can be obtained by contacting A. Giustina, University of Brescia, Dept. of Med & Surgery Science, Montichiari Hospital, Service Endocrinol, Via Ciotti 154, I-25018 Montichiari, Italy.
The publisher of the journal Bone can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA.
Keywords: Italy, Bone, Diabetes Management, Endocrinology, Fibrinolytic Agent, Hypoglycemic Agent, Metformin, Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Osteoporosis, Rosiglitazone, Thazolidinedione, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vasodilator Agent, University of Brescia.
This article was prepared by Women's Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Women's Health Weekly via NewsRx.com.
To see more of the NewsRx.com, or to subscribe, go to http://www.newsrx.com .