Bone mineral density in adult patients with type I diabetes mellitus attending specialized center for endocrinology and diabetes in Baghdad.

OBJECTIVES: To assess bone mineral density in adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, and to identify the factors that may be associated with bone status in such patients. METHODS: The cross-sectional, case-control study was conducted at the Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes in Al Rasafa, Baghdad, Iraq, from October 2017 to March 2018 and comprised patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy controls. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was done to assess bone mineral density and other characteristics of the subjects and the two groups were compared using SPSS 25. RESULTS: Of the 90 subjects, 60(66.6%) were patients with a mean age of 27.81}5.03, and 30(33.3%) were controls with a mean age of 29.66}4.43. Overall, there were 53(59%) females and 37(41%) were males. Low bone mineral density was found in 27(45%) patients compared to 5(16.6%) controls (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Type 1 diabetes mellitus was found to be associated with decreased bone mineral density.

Vitamin B12 status and peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the status of vitamin B12 in patients with type 2 diabetes, and to explore any association between its deficiency and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted from August, 2017, to April, 2018, at the Specialized Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes in Baghdad, Iraq. Type 2 diabetics using metformin were subjected to clinical examination for retinopathy using fundoscopy, and peripheral neuropathy using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument. Additionally, patients were asked to fill a questionnaire and their medical records were reviewed. Blood samples were obtained for the measurement of biomarkers. Vitamin B12 deficiency was recorded at ≤187 pg/ml. Data was analysed using SPSS 25. RESULTS: Of the 66 patients, 39(59%) were males and 27(41%) were females. The overall mean age was 53.3}9.2 years and the mean duration of diabetes was 104}71.8 months. The mean dose of metformin was 1135}496 mg and the duration of metformin use was 72}62 months. Overall, 19(29%) patients suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency. However, no significant difference was found between normal and deficit groups regarding the parameters that may affect vitamin B12 level. Also, no significant correlations were found between vitamin B12 concentration and the dose (p=0.16) or the duration of metformin use (p=0.09). CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency was observed in metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the deficiency had no correlation with the rate of peripheral neuropathy.