ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of combination of bone formation and resorption markers in predicting the bone mineral density (BMD), and to see there was a correlation with years since menopause(YSM) and BMD according to the combination of bone turnover marker and bone sites. METHOD: BMD and bone turnover marker(serum osteocalcin and urine deoxypyridinoline) was assessed in 266 healthy postmenopausal women at the time of first visiting in postmenopausal clinic and were divided into six groups based on combination of their reference range in bone turnover markers. RESULTS: We evaluated the discrimination power of the combination of bone turnover marker in assessing BMD among the six gorups, there was no statistically significant difference in BMD of Lumbar2-4 and Femur (Neck, Ward. Trochanter). In case of both higher than reference range of osteocalcin and deoxypyridinoline(D-pyr), BMD of Lumbar2-4 and Femur in postmenopausal women had a negative correlation with YSM. In case of higher than normal reference range of D-pyr and within the reference range of osteocalcin, BMD of Femur had a negative correlation with YSM. CONCLUSION: Thus each bone site had its own good combination of bone marker levels to correlate the BMD according to the YSM.