title: Changes in serum levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein after estrogen and alendronate therapy in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a biomarker for joint destruction and its serum levels are used for assessing therapeutic efficacy. This study aims to compare changes in serum COMP levels in postmenopausal women with osteopenia/osteoporosis receiving estrogen and alendronate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 62 postmenopausal women diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis were treated with either estrogen (17β-estradiol 1 mg, n = 30) or bisphosphonate (alendronate 5 mg, n = 32) for 6 months. The controls were healthy postmenopausal women (n = 30). Serum COMP and osteocalcin levels were measured at baseline and after 6 months of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Estrogen decreased levels of COMP at 6 months compared to baseline levels (–8.35 ± 19.38%), whereas the bisphosphonate and control groups resulted in no significant changes (–5.50 ± 18.69 and –1.49 ± 25.34%, respectively). Concentrations of osteocalcin decreased significantly in both treatment groups (estrogen –25.60 ± 24.42% and alendronate –13.76 ± 23.89%, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between changes after 6 months in COMP and osteocalcin (R = 0.48, p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postmenopausal women treated with estrogen showed significantly decreased levels of COMP after 6 months. Estrogen might provide a further treatment modality in the prevention of joint destruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine 146-92 Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-720, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Kyo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Hyo In
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kyung Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Young Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Young Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: SiHyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Byung Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000736:Androstenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000188:drug therapy; D002356:Cartilage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D064236:Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein; D004958:Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D064235:Matrilin Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000517:prevention & control; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D064236:Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D064235:Matrilin Proteins; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; C577553:TSP5 protein, human; D015675:Osteocalcin; D004958:Estradiol; C035144:drospirenone; D019386:Alendronate