[Age-related change of bone biochemical markers and their relationships to mineral density in healthy Chinese men].
OBJECTIVE
To study the age-related changes of bone formation markers, i.e., serum bone alkaline phosphatase (sBAP) and serum osteocalcin (sOC), bone resorption marker, i.e., cross-linked N-telopeptides of type 1 collagen (sNTX), and bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy men.


METHODS
Serum sBAP, sOC, and sNTX of 389 randomly selected males, aged 20 - 80, all of Han nationality, were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA). Dual energy X-ray densitometer was used to measure the BMD of the lumbar vertebrae, left femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and hip. The relationships of these markers to age were analyzed.


RESULTS
(1) The sBAP, sOC, and sNTX were negatively correlated with age, the cubic regression model being better with age-related changes of bone biochemical markers as compared with the other regression models (R(2) = 0.013 - 0.029, P < 0.05); (2) When all subjects were stratified by 10-years, the bone biochemical marker values were the highest in the age group 20 - 29, with the sBAP of 30.9 U/L +/- 12.6 U/L, sOC of 12.6 microg/L +/- 6.2 microg/L, and sNTX of 18.2 micromol/L +/- 6.6 micromol/L; then decreased with aging and to a nadir level in the age group 50 - 59, with the sBAP of 26.9 U/L +/- 8.6 U/L, sOC of 9.2 microg/L +/- 5.3 microg/L, and sNTX of 15.6 micromol/L +/- 6.1 micromol/L. After the age of 60, sNTX increased slightly 16.0 micromol/L +/- 6.1 micromol/L, however, BAP and sOC remained stable; (3) After adjustment for age, height, weight, BMI and smoking, serum BAP was negatively correlated with BMD of multiple skeletal sites. sOC was inversely associated with BMD of multiple skeletal sites except lateral spine; and sNTX was negatively correlated with BMD of the lumbar spine and total hip.


CONCLUSIONS
Negatively correlated with BMD, sBAP, sOC, and sNTX may be sensitive and relatively specific markers to evaluate age-related changes of bone turnover.
Zhao
Qin
Q
Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Shen
Li-xin
LX
Zhang
Hong
H
Wu
Xian-ping
XP
Xie
Hui
H
Shan
Peng-fei
PF
Cao
Xing-zhi
XZ
Liao
Er-yuan
EY
Luo
Xiang-hang
XH
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D015519:Bone Density; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood*
D024042:Collagen Type I; D015675:Osteocalcin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase