Why People With Diabetes Have More Fractures

A technology that allows researchers to create a "virtual bone biopsy" has revealed why people with type 2 diabetes are often prone to fractures.

A study from the University of Southampton found that people with diabetes have structural defects that lead to weaker bones. While people with type 2 diabetes have a higher incidence of bone fractures than the general population, they tend to have the same bone density as other people - a fact that has stumped researchers for a long time.

This new study may help the medical community understand how bone structure impacts fracture risk in diabetes patients.

Diabetes and osteoperosis

According to study author Cyrus Cooper, the research identifies a unique problem in skeletal development that could shed more light on osteoporosis and diabetes.

"We can now see where there is a specific deficit within the bone," said Dr. Mark Edwards, lead researcher, "which may help clinicians to develop appropriate therapies to prevent future fractures."

Some research suggests that people taking insulin have a higher risk of fractures than diabetics who are not managing their condition with insulin.

The study is published in Calcified Tissue International.

Source: University of Southamptom

Image courtesy of rajcreationzs/FreeDigitalPhotos.net