Objective To investigate the correlations between bone turnover indexes and oxidative stress indexes in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Methods A total of 68 children with T1DM were selected as subjects (T1DM group, n=68) for a cross-sectional study. In addition, 68 healthy children and adolescents with matched gender and age were selected as controls (control group, n=68). The levels of bone conversion indexesalkaline phosphatase (ALP), procollagen type Ⅰamino terminal peptide (PINP), deoxypyridinoline (DPD)and oxidative stress indexesglutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA)were compared between two groups. The correlations between bone turnover indexes and oxidative stress indexes were evaluated.

Results Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), DPD and MDA in the T1DM group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while PINP, glutathione and SOD were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis of children with T1DM showed that PINP was negatively correlated with HbA1c and MDA, and positively correlated with glutathione and SOD, while DPD was positively correlated with HbA1c and MDA, and negatively correlated with glutathione and SOD (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Glutathione and MDA were the influencing factors of PINP level in T1DM children (β=0.612, P=0.002; β=-4.055, P=0.038); glutathione was one of the influencing factors of DPD level in T1DM children (β=-0.103, P=0.018).

Conclusion Oxidative stress levels in children and adolescents with T1DM are significantly increased, and there are changes in bone turnover biomarkers, and bone turnover indexes are closely related to oxidative stress indexes.