# Delineating mechanisms of skeletal fragility in older adults with Type 1 Diabetes

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2021 · $733,381

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Skeletal fragility is a recently recognized complication of Type 1 diabetes (T1D), and is of particular concern
among older adults. Patients with T1D have a striking 5- to 7-fold higher risk of hip fractures as compared to
nondiabetics. However, the mechanisms that underlie the increased fracture risk in T1D are poorly
understood. This proposal seeks to delineate the mechanisms of skeletal fragility at the hip in older adults with
T1D, among whom fracture risk is highest. Aim 1 will evaluate prospective changes in bone density, structure,
strength, and cortical bone quality in postmenopausal women and men age 50 years with T1D as compared
to nondiabetic controls. Aim 2 will investigate the potential contributions of diabetic complications, such as
glycemic profiling (using continuous glucose monitoring), advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and
microvascular disease, to skeletal endpoints and age-related bone loss. Finally, Aim 3 will utilize ex vivo
femoral specimens to directly assess femoral bone composition and biomechanical strength among adults with
longstanding T1D. We have assembled a multidisciplinary team of experts to perform this study, and we will
leverage existing richly profiled cohorts as well as recruit new cohorts for detailed skeletal phenotyping to
clarify the impact of T1D on bone health. Our studies will provide novel insights about alterations in femoral
bone structure and quality in T1D, and will clarify the impact of glycemic control and diabetic complications on
skeletal fragility. Successful completion of this project will inform strategies to lower fracture risk among older
adults with T1D.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10119499
- **Project number:** 1R01DK124710-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Elaine Wei-Yin Yu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $733,381
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-02-01 → 2026-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10119499

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10119499, Delineating mechanisms of skeletal fragility in older adults with Type 1 Diabetes (1R01DK124710-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10119499. Licensed CC0.

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