Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease that is characterized by a decrease in bone mass density and destruction of microstructure, which can lead to an increased risk of fracture. Although many studies have been published about the relationship between end-stage renal disease and osteoporosis, research on the relationship between proteinuria and the prevalence of osteoporosis is still lacking.

We assessed 91 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes who visited our hospital from January 2009 to January 2012.

Among 91 patients, the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia was 35.2% (32 cases) and 32.9% (30 cases) according to bone mineral density. The patients with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio [UACR] ≥ 30) had a significantly higher incidence of osteoporosis compared to subjects with normoalbuminuria ( P <0.05).

This study indicates that UACR may be a useful biomarker for increased risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes who have been linked to higher UACR levels.