Catherine Corey, MD

Dr. Corey's research focuses on type 1 diabetes. historically been understudied. The causality of the increased risk of fractures thus remains poorly understood. Abnormalities in bone microarchitecture, and bone marrow milieu are thought to contribute, but the mechanism is unclear. We aim to begin characterizing the difference in bone parameters between healthy post-pubertal youth and individuals with T1D by examining bone mineral adipose tissue content (BMAT), bone mineral density (BMD), and markers of bone turnover. BMAT is a component of the bone marrow microenvironment and is associated with low BMD. While low BMD is known to contribute to fracture risk, and high BMAT has been identified as a fracture risk in adults, the role of BMAT in youth with T1D has yet to be determined. We hypothesize that there will be differences in BMAT between youth with T1D and elevated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) > 9%, and those with HbA1c in target range (who will be similar to healthy controls). We further postulate that increased BMAT will be associated with insulin deficiency (as measured by insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)) and pro-inflammatory cytokine markers ultimately affecting skeletal health. Elucidating the nuances of the difference in bone parameters between youth with T1D and healthy controls is crucial groundwork toward determining the causality of increased fragility in T1D. Through this research our goal is ultimately to identify a potential target for intervention to improve bone health and reduce fracture risk in individuals with T1D.