EVIDENCE OF BONE WEAKNESS IN TYPE 1 DIABETES RATS: STUDY densitometrIC and BIOMECHANICAL

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effects caused by type 1 diabetes (DM1) in the femurs of rats by bone density and biomechanical testing. We used 22 animals (Rattus norvegicus albinus), which were separated randomly into: C (control group) and D (diabetic group). To induce type 1 diabetes, the animals received streptozotocin dissolved in citrate buffer 0.01M, pH 4.5, at a concentration of 35mg/kg, single dose, by intravenous injection. After 4 weeks of induction, the animals were sacrificed and the femurs frozen (-20° C). Biomechanical test were performed to determine the maximum force (Fmax) and stiffness, and densitometry analysis, to obtain the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC). The Student t test acknowledged significant differences in BMD (p = 0.0190), CMO (p = 0.0264) and Fmax (p = 0.0137) between groups. Thus it follows that, according to the methodology used in this work, the induced type 1 diabetes led to a greater fragility in the femurs.