Changes of serum osteoprotegerin level in elderly men with osteoporosis during the course of Fosamax treatment / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the bone density, serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) level,relevant parameters of bone metabolism and sex hormones in elderly men with osteoporosis before and after treatment with oral Fosamax for 3 years. Methods The serum OPG level was compared between 72 randomly selected elderly male patients with osteoporosis and age-matched healthy controls. The bone density, serum OPG level, sex hormones, serum calcium and phosphorus,parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteoealein and urine type Ⅰ collegen crosslinked N-telopeptides (NTX),urine calcium and cretinine were tested in all elderly male patients with osteoporosis before and after 3 years of oral Fosamax treatment. The role of OPG in anti-osteoporotic therapy was studied by comparison of the parameters tested during the course of treatment. Results The serum levels of OPG osteoealcin, PTH and urine NTX were obviously higher in elderly men with osteoporosis than in healthy controls [(10.56±2.56) pmol/L vs. (8.91±2.20) pmol/L, (9.544±4.40) g/L vs. (6.774±2.87)rig/L, (70.39±35.58) ng/L vs. (47.11±21.80) ng/L, (72.06±9.78) nmol/L vs. (63.36±14.61)nmol/L, all P<0.05]. After treatment with oral Fosamax , the bone density was significantly increased. However, serum levels of OPG[(8.23±2.96)pmol/L], osteocalcinE(6.18±2.27)μg/L],PTH[(40.46±14.43) ng/L] and urine NTX[(64.83±11.40) nmol/L] were significantly decreased after treatment (all P<0.05). Spearman analysis showed that the improvement of bone density after treatment was closely associated with serum OPG level. Conclusions Serum OPG level in elderly patients with osteoporosis is much higher than that in control group. The improvement in bone density after treatment is associated with the decrease in OPG level. Bone density and relevant parameters of bone metabolism can be improved in elderly male patients with osteoporosis by using oral Fosamax.