Abstract
Purpose/Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine relationship of the bone markers levels with the fracture risk and treatment monitoring in patients with osteoporosis. Bone markers may point out to on specific aspects of bone quality, detecting changes of bone mineral density, thus providing prognostic perspective and accounting for a substantial proportion of fracture risk reduction.Methods: The case-control study comprised data from 55 patients undergoing evaluation for osteoporosis at Medicus Universalis Polyclinic in Krusevac. Densitometric findings, P1NP, CTX and osteocalcin levels were determined in all patients twice – at the first assessment and 6 months after. While 30 patients took no medical therapy, 25 of them were treated with ibandronate. Results: No convincing difference in densitometric measurements between patients with and without prevalent fractures were noted, while mean osteocalcin and P1NP levels were significantly lower (p<0.05) in osteoporotic patients who suffered fractures. A significant correlation between those bone turnover markers and T-score was established, especially in the second measurement and in patients treated with ibandronate.Conclusion: In postmenopausal women and individuals with low BMD, the presence of increased bone turnover markers suggests an increased risk of fractures. Furthermore, these metabolic markers are useful in the monitoring of patients receiving antiresorptive therapy, wherein fast decline of their levels indicate favorable course. Their determination after 6 months offers the remarkable advantage in assessing the effectiveness of medical treatment comparing to 12–24 months required to document changes by BMD.
STRONTIUM RANELATE DECREASES VERTEBRAL FRACTURE RISK WHATEVER THE LEVEL OF PRETREATMENT BONE TURNOVER MARKERS
