title: Calcium, phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus ratio in rib bone of healthy humans.
abstract: Calcium and phosphorus concentrations as well as the Ca/P ratio were estimated in intact rib bone samples from healthy humans, 37 women and 45 men, aged 15-55 yr. For Ca and P concentration measurements, instrumental neutron activation analysis was used. The mean values (mean +/- SD) for the investigated parameters were 19.3 +/- 4.5% of dry bone weight, 8.42 +/- 2.14% of dry bone weight, and a ratio of 2.33 +/- 0.34, respectively. Statistically significant differences for the above parameters were not observed to be related either to age or sex. The mean values for Ca, P, and the Ca/P ratio were within a very wide range of published data and close to their medians. The individual variation for the Ca/P ratio in rib bone from healthy humans was lower than those for Ca and P taken separately. An indication is that the specificity of the Ca/P ratio improves upon that for Ca and P concentrations and may be more reliable in the diagnosis of bone disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Physics, Medical School, Ioannina University, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzaphlidou
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zaichick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D012016:Reference Values; D012272:Ribs / Q000737:chemistry*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010758:Phosphorus; D002118:Calcium