Sex difference in the relationship of calcium and magnesium excretion to glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus

In order to assess the variability and possible causes of calcium and magnesium losses in diabetes mellitus, urinary calcium and magnesium excretion were monitored six monthly over a 3-year period in 108 stable, type 1 diabetic patients who were having assessment of their clinical status and glycaemic control over the same period. In the patients studied the ranges of excretion of both calcium and magnesium were considerably wider than our non-diabetic reference ranges but the within subject variation in excretion was high. However, using mean values obtained over the study period, a direct relationship was observed between the excretion of both calcium and magnesium and HbA(1) in female patients (P<0.01) but not in males who had similar HbA(1) values. The urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium did not relate to any of the other clinical or biochemical indices measured, including body mass index, daily insulin dose, retinal status or albumin excretion. It is suggested that, in poorly controlled patients, fi:males may have a greater risk than males of developing the complications associated with chronic calcium and magnesium loss. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.