Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have an increased risk of fragility fracture. However, whether diabetes-related osteoporosis independently contributes to the deterioration of activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QOL) is unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between osteoporosis, ADLs, and QOL in 309 patients with T2DM. ADLs and QOL were assessed using Barthel Index (BI) and a SF-36 questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, T2DM duration, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, estimated GFR, diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, and anti-diabetic treatments were conducted. The number of patients with osteoporosis or vertebral fracture was 166 (53.7%) and 118 (38.2%), respectively. Osteoporosis was significantly associated with lower general health (GH), social functioning (SF), and role emotional (RE) (OR 2.56, 1.79, and 1.92, respectively; all p values < 0.05 at least) and marginally associated with lower BI (OR 2.39, p = 0.068). Moreover, the presence of vertebral fracture grade 2 or 3 was significantly associated with lower BI, bodily pain (BP), GH, vitality, SF, and RE (OR 2.58, 2.01, 3.64, 1.99, 2.18, and 1.97, respectively; all p values < 0.05 at least). Osteoporosis and severe vertebral fracture were associated with the deterioration of ADLs and QOL independently of other diabetic complications. Therefore, the management of diabetes-related osteoporosis is an important strategy to avoid the deterioration of ADLs and QOL in T2DM.
Keywords: ADLs; Osteoporosis; QOL; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Vertebral fracture.