Diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, the knee and hip joints wear out more frequently than others. The risk of osteoarthritis increases with duration of the disease, regardless of obesity.

Each year, nearly 400,000 people in Germany, an artificial hip or knee. A remarkably large number of them have diabetes.

"Since both diseases are often aged and overweight is an important risk factor, was long seen no direct link between diabetes and osteoarthritis," says Professor Georg Schett, Director of the Medical Clinic at the University Hospital Erlangen 3.

Schett has now analyzed data from the Bruneck study. In the clinic, the town in South Tyrol since 1990, the older population health data are collected.

"Since this hospital is the one stop shop for hospital care and the migration of the population in the remote Alpine region is very low, the study provides very reliable data for research on disease risks," is Schett quoted in a press release of the German Diabetes Association (DDG) .

The analysis found: Type-2 diabetes were four times more likely an artificial hip or knee than the rest of the residents.

Even if the influence of age and obesity were eliminated, people with type 2 diabetes still had a two-fold increased risk for a joint replacement. The risk increased with the duration of the disease, suggesting a causal relationship.

Blood glucose in the cartilage

"In the ultrasound examinations of joint degeneration in the diabetic patients was more advanced, than would be expected due to age and body weight," said Schett. In the DDG-release

For the internist, this is no surprise. "Studies have repeatedly shown that the wear of the joints are not the only cause for osteoarthritis," said Schett.

Inflammation of the joints would rather driven by other factors - also apparently due to diabetes. Its influence to let justify biologically. So be aware that the blood sugar gets into the articular cartilage.

He harms there may be the cartilage cells and stimulate the formation of inflammatory proteins such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, the joint effects may have known of her rheumatoid arthritis.

"The diabetic neuropathy may play a role," adds Schett. The nerve damage can lead to diabetes and poor posture stresses the joints no longer feel right.

"A persistently elevated blood sugar levels is obviously an independent risk factor for osteoarthritis," says Schett. The study underscores the need for early and consistent treatment of Type 2 diabetes, the DDG.

That had an impact on the cost. Would Thus in the German health care system each year more than 7.6 billion euros spent in osteoarthritis .

Diabetes

Find us on Google+