Diabetes Increases Fracture Risk by 22%

Diabetes was associated with a 22% increased fracture risk among older men, according to a recent study.

For their retrospective study, the researchers analyzed data of 2,798,309 male Veterans who received care at a Veterans Health Administration medical center from 2000 to 2010. They evaluated potential mediating factors for diabetes-related risk for any clinical fracture and hip fracture using negative binomial regression models. A total of 900,402 (32.3%) Veterans had diabetes.
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The risks for any diabetes-related clinical fracture and hip fracture were 1.22 and 1.21, respectively, after the researchers adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, body mass index, alcohol and tobacco use, rheumatoid arthritis, and corticosteroid use.

Additionally, peripheral neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, and congestive heart failure were significant mediating factors in the relationship between diabetes and fracture risk. These comorbidities accounted for 45.5% of diabetes-related fractures.

“Older male Veterans with diabetes have a 22% increased risk of incident clinical fracture compared to those without. A significant portion of this risk is explained by diabetes-related comorbidities, specifically peripheral neuropathy and congestive heart failure,” the researchers concluded. “Identification of these mediating factors suggests possible mechanisms, as well as potential interventions.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Lee RH, Sloane R, Pieper C, et al. Clinical fractures among older men with diabetes are mediated by diabetic complications [published online November 1, 2017]. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-01593.