Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT2075

Background: The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) among youth is on the rise. Poor glycemic control can contribute to comorbidities, including compromised bone health. In growing populations, muscular fitness has been associated with improved bone health.

Aim: To explore the relationship between muscular fitness and bone health in children and adolescents living with T1D.

Methods: A total of 83 youth with T1D (ages 6–18 years; 44.6% girls; mean glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]: 7.5 ± 1.0%) from the Diactive-1 Cohort Study were monitored over two years. Bone mineral content (BMC) and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) whole-body scans for the total body less head (TBLH), arms, legs, pelvis, and spine. Muscular fitness metrics, including handgrip strength, one-repetition maximum (RM), and muscle power, were evaluated with a dynamometer and eGYM devices. Handgrip strength and TBLH bone parameters were standardized for age and sex using reference data from the BMD Childhood Study and the FitBack Project. The statistical analyses were computed via R studio program.

Results: Generalized linear mixed models showed longitudinal associations of handgrip strength with TBLH-BMC (unstandardized beta coefficient [B]= 17.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.47–21.90) and TBLH-aBMD (B= 0.004, 95%CI 0.002–0.006); RM with TBLH-BMC (B= 20.09, 95%CI 10.88–29.31) and TBLH-aBMD (B= 0.007, 95%CI 0.004–0.011); and power with TBLH-BMC (B= 26.80, 95%CI: 17.31–36.28) and TBLH-aBMD (B= 0.009, 95%CI 0.005–0.012). Comparable results were observed across the other regions (p<0.05). Additionally, analyses with standardized data confirmed the relationships of handgrip z-scores with TBLH-BMC z-scores (B= 0.19, 95%CI 0.08–0.30) and TBLH-aBMD z-scores (B= 0.350, 95%CI: 0.210–0.490).

Conclusions: Strengthening programs aimed at improving muscle strength could play a crucial role in preventing bone health complications in youth with T1D. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating muscular fitness into therapeutic strategies for this population.