Hemoglobin level and osteoporosis in Chinese elders with type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVES: Several studies demonstrated a positive relationship between hemoglobin level and bone mineral density (BMD). Thus, the association between hemoglobin concentration and osteoporosis in elders with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was explored in this study. METHODS: Totally, 573 elders with T2DM were included in the study. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Hemoglobin levels were tested. The association between the hemoglobin level and osteoporosis was subjected to logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: For men, the hemoglobin levels were significantly lower in osteoporosis group than that in non-osteoporosis group (135.98 ± 16.20 vs. 142.84 ± 13.78 g/L, P = 0.002). Hemoglobin levels were positively related with BMD of total hip and femoral neck in men (r = 0.170, P = 0.004; r = 0.148, P = 0.012, respectively). After adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) [25(OH) D(3)], the hemoglobin level was related with a 0.97-fold lower risk of osteoporosis (odds ratio (OR): 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95–0.99; P = 0.004) in men, but no such association was found in women. CONCLUSION: Higher levels of hemoglobin play a protective role against osteoporosis in older men with T2DM.