Plasma homocysteine and markers of bone metabolism in psychogeriatric patients.
OBJECTIVE
In recent studies high plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels were reported to be associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures. In elderly psychogeriatric patients there is a high frequency of elevated plasma tHcy concentration. The present study therefore investigates the association between plasma tHcy concentration and markers of bone metabolism in psychogeriatric patients.


METHODS
A total of 152 psychogeriatric patients were investigated and plasma tHcy and its major determinants (serum folate, serum cobalamin and renal function) were measured. Osteocalcin and crosslaps were chosen as markers of bone metabolism.


RESULTS
Bone markers (crosslaps and osteocalcin) were increased in elderly patients with dementia compared to patients without dementia. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that plasma tHcy concentration made only a small contribution to the prediction of crosslaps in serum, whereas plasma tHcy concentration was not an independent predictor of serum osteocalcin.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study does not provide support for the hypothesis that a moderately increased plasma tHcy concentration is a risk factor for impaired bone metabolism.
Nilsson
K
K
Department of Psychogeriatrics and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Gustafson
L
L
Isaksson
A
A
Hultberg
B
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D015675:Osteocalcin