Effect of menopause on serum calcium phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase in relation to urinary calcium, phosphorus and hydroxyproline

Our study included thirty premenopausal and thirty postmenopausal women and their serum calcium, inorganic phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and urinary calcium, phosphates, creatinine and hydroxyproline were determined. Serum calcium and its urinary excretion was found to be significantly higher in postmenopausal group while urinary hydroxproline was also markedly raised in postmenopausal women. Serum phosphorous does not appear to be of importance although it was slightly higher. Alkaline phosphatase showed no significant changes. Our findings show that serum and urinary calcium and urinary hydroxyproline can be used as biochemical markers to assess bone changes in post menopausal women