Study of some common biochemical bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women

Markers of bone formation in serum include total and bone specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and Type 1 collagen carboxy terminal extension peptide. Bone resorption can be assessed by measuring plasma tartarate resistant acid phosphtase and urinary excretion of collagen degradation products: hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine glycosides and more recently the pyridinium crosslinks and associated peptides. We compared the excretion of hydroxyproline in women of reproductive age group to those of menopausal age group and found a significant difference in the two age groups. Urinary hydroxyproline was found to be significantly raised in post menopausal women. Thus hydroxyproline maybe used as the earliest indicator in the prognostic assessment of postmenopausal women of their risk of developing osteoporosis and fracture.