LAUSR

INTRODUCTION Charcot arthropathy is one of the disabling diabetes complications. There are enigmatic areas concerning its underlying pathophysiology and risk predictors. Osteoporosis and local osteopenia has been postulated to have a role in Charcot arthropathy development, but it is still controversial AIM: To Compare bone mineral density among type 2 diabetics with and without Charcot arthropathy. METHODOLOGY Two groups with type 2 diabetes participated in this study. Group I [30] patients with charcot arhropathy while Group II [30] patients without charcot arthropathy. All patients underwent full history taking and full clinical examination with special emphasis on the feet. Laboratory investigations were done that included fasting blood sugar, post prandial blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase. All patients underwent MRI for both feet and and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan of the lumbar spine and femur. The demographic data, clinical data, the presence or absence of comorbidities and bone mineral density were compared for both groups RESULT: Bone mineral density was significantly lower in Group I than Group II with median lumber T score (-0.15, 1.99 p <0.001), median Femur T score (0.050, 2.400, p <0.001). Group I showed higher propensity for hypertension, neuropathy, micro-albuminuria with peripheral arterial disease (23.33 %) compared to Group II (p <0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender and low femur bone mineral density can be risk predictors of the condition. CONCLUSION Bone mineral density is lower in patients with Charcot arthropathy with female gender and Femur T score as risk predictors. Peripheral arterial disease shows greater incidence in Charcot patients than was previously reported.