To observe the efficacy of liraglutide combined with alfacalccitol in the treatment of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with osteoporosis.

A total of 67 elderly T2DM patients with osteoporosis admitted to Guangyuan Central Hospital from June 2018 to March 2020 were selected and randomly divided into control group (33 cases) and experimental group (34 cases). Both groups received conventional hypoglycemic treatment, oral calcium carbonate D3 therapy, diet and exercise intervention. Besides, the control group was treated with alfacalccitol, and the experimental group was treated with liraglutide combined with alfacalccitol. Clinical efficacy, blood glucose control, bone mineral density and bone metabolism indexes, and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. T test was used to compare the measurement data, and χ² test was used to compare the count data.

The effective rate of experimental group was higher than that of control group (χ²=7.309, P < 0.05). Blood glucose control indicators like glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, as well as bone mineral density and bone metabolism indicators like calcium, alkaline phosphatase, bone mineral density, osteoprotegerin, epoetin 13 and β collagen fragments, were all improved in both groups after treatment (observation group: t=5.563, 10.017, 3.589, 8.776, 2.582, 2.986, 7.316, 4.590, 13.914; control group: t=2.333, 2.135, 2.523, 4.864, 2.291, 2.625, 4.581, 2.277, 8.863; P < 0.05), and the experimental group showed significantly better improvement than the control group (t=5.076, 6.757, 2.942, 4.905, 2.204, 2.455, 2.625, 2.576, 6.014; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between two groups (χ²=0.001, P > 0.05).

Liraglutide combined with alfacalccitol has a significant effect on elderly patients with T2DM complicated with osteoporosis, which can improve blood glucose control, bone mineral density and bone metabolism, and is worthy of clinical application.