ABSTRACT
Osteoporosis is the term used for diseases that cause a reduction in the mass of bone perunit volume and is one of the dreaded afflictions of ageing. Osteoporosis increases bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. This silently progressing metabolic bone disease is widely prevealent in India. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of biochemical bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women to assess the risk of osteoporosis. Study includes 70 women (40 postmenopausal, 30 premenopausal women) serum estradiol, serum alkaline phosphatase, urinary hydroxyproline were estimated in both cases and controls. There is decrease in serum estrodiaol levels in postmenopausal women when compared to premenopausal women estrogen deficiency induces bone loss similarly ALP is highly significant P<0.001 in prostmenopausal women suggesting that there is high alkaline phosphate activity in postmenopausal women as a result of the inhibitory effects of estrogen on bone turnover rate which is dependent on age and body mass index. Increased excretion of urinary hydroxyproline is due to increase in bone loss and this was a characteristic feature of immediate postmenopausal period.