title: Bone health status of premenopausal healthy adult females in Pakistani females.
abstract: Bone health status in healthy premenopausal females was assessed. We found high bone turnover in 36.8 % and vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in 82.8 and 16.1 %, respectively, and secondary hyperparathyroidism in 25.9 % of the subjects. This is alarming as there is inability to achieve peak bone mass and predisposes to osteoporosis risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess bone health status in healthy females by using biochemical markers of bone metabolism in blood [N-telopeptide of type I collagen (NTx), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and plasma intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH)].
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-four healthy premenopausal female volunteers were recruited from an urban residential area in Karachi. Demographic details were collected on a preformed questionnaire. Blood samples for the estimation of serum NTx, 25OHD, and plasma iPTH were taken in a fasting state. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences 16.0. A p value of <0.05 was considered as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High bone turnover, as depicted by NTx, was seen in 36.8 % cases. Vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency were seen in 82.8, 16.1, and 1.1 % respectively. Secondary hyperparathyroidism was present in 25.9 % of the subjects, while others had blunted PTH response. Significant correlates of bone health were serum 25OHD levels, duration of sun exposure, and the practice of wearing veil (p value < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone turnover is high with high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in apparently healthy premenopausal females predisposing them to higher risk for development of osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Microbiology, Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan. farhan.dar@aku.edu
authors.forename: Farhan Javed
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.forename: Romaina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Farooq
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghani
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Aysha Habib
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003020:Clothing; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006962:Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D024042:Collagen Type I; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D