RESUMO
Serum concentrations of some biochemical markers of bone turnover were measured in 40 elderly patients who sustained hip fracture. They were 20 elderly males and 20 postmenopausal females showing different grades of radiological and histopathological osteoporosis. In addition, 20 radiologically free subjects [10 postmenopausal females, and 10 elderly males] served as controls. To all studied subjects the following bone markers were done: serum osteocalcin, serum total and bone specific alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline.Serum total and ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus and urinary calcium were also estimated. Markers of bone formation: osteocalcin and bone specific alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased in postmenopausal female patients and elderly male patients. Urinary hydroxyproline, a marker of bone resorption was also significantly increased in these two groups when compared to the controls. Based on some biochemical data [and not radiological] osteomalacia could be suspected in 20% of postmenopausal female patients and 15% of elderly male patients. These data are suggestive of high rate of bone turnover in such elderly patients where bone resorption exceeds bone formation leading to low skeletal mass which has an essential role in bone fracture