ABSTRACT
Objective To study early changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover for prodicting the bone mineral density(BMD) response to alendronate therapy in Chinese men with osteoporosis. Methods Seventy-eight men aged 60 to 82 years with osteoporosis [mean age (69.8 ±11.8) years]were treated with alendronate sodium 70 mg/week for 12 months. Serum bone gla-protein (BGP) and serum pyridinoline-eross-linked earboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) level were measured by chemiluminescence (equipment is Roche E170). Serum BGP, ICTP and BSALP levels were measured before and 3 months and 12 months after treatment. BMD in lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (GE PRODIGY Inc. ) at L1-4 and at the left hip(total hip,trochanter,Ward's area and femoral neck)before and 12 months after treatment. Results After 3-months and 12-months treatment, the percent reductions of serum ICTP levels were 45.8% and 51.6%, serum BGP level 32.0% and 37.5%, serum BSALP level 35. 3% and 39.9% ,respectively. After 12-months treatment, the percent increase of lumbar BMD was 11.8%, femoral neck BMD 11.4 %. The percent reductions of serum ICTP level at months 3 and 12 after treatment were positively correlated to the percent increase of lumbar BMD (r=0.28, 0.295,P <0.05 and P<0.01)and of fermoral neck BMD at 12 months after treatment(r=0.262, 0.333, P＜0.05 and P<0.01)respectively. The percent reductions of serum BGP level at months 3 and 12 after treatment were positively correlated to the percent increase of lumbar BMD (r=0. 322, 0.401,all P<0.01) and of fermoral neck BMD at 12 months after treatment (r=0.277,0.284, all P＜0.05)respectively. The percent reductions of serum BSALP level at months 3 and 12 after treatment were positively correlated to the percent increase of lumbar BMD (r=0.133,0.231,all P＜0.05) and of fermoral neck BMD at 12 months after treatment(r=0.248, 0.317, all P＜0.01)respectively.Conclusions Early changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover rates can predict BMD response to alendronate in Chinese men with osteoporosis.