title: Metabolic markers for the early diagnosis of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
abstract: We performed a cross-sectional study in 147 women, 41 in premenopausal age and 106 in menopause for 1-5 years: bone mineral density (BMD) at the distal radius and annual bone loss (as shown by plasma alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin levels, and by calcium/creatinine and hydroxyproline/creatinine in the second urine of the morning) were evaluated. A significant reduction of BMD with a significant increase of bone loss was observed with increasing duration of menopause. Furthermore, when the women were subdivided into two groups according to annual bone loss (over or under 1.7%), significant differences were found between bone mineral density in the second and third years of menopause. As this is a cross-sectional and not a longitudinal study, it confirms that, in the presence of a higher bone loss, the BMD levels are lower and consequently the theoretical definition of this parameter can allow useful information on the presumable behavior of BMD.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna, University of Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isaia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mussetta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sciolla
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Triolo
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Molinatti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015675:Osteocalcin; D003404:Creatinine; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D002118:Calcium