Early predictive value of bone turnover markers for the changes of bone mineral densities in postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis treated with alendronate / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effect of alendronate treatment and assess the value of bone turnover markers (BTMs) in predicting the changes of bone mineral densities (BMDs) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.Methods:In this retrospective study, 409 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis aged (64.86±7.21) years in the Department of Osteoporosis and Bone Disease, Shanghai Sixth People′s Hospital were enrolled from 2012 to 2020. BMDs at lumbar spine 1-4, femoral neck, and total hip, serum β cross-linked C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (β-CTX), and osteocalcin (OC) were measured before and after treatment.Results:After alendronate treatment for 1 year, BMDs at lumbar spine 1-4, femoral neck and total hip increased 4.84%, 2.13%, and 2.89%, respectively ( P<0.05). At 6 months and 1 year on treatment, β-CTX and OC levels decreased by 77.7%, 42.3% and 78.2%, 49.5%, respectively ( P<0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that for every 10% decrease in the change of β-CTX at 6 months after alendronate treatment, the rate changes in BMDs at the lumbar spine 1-4, femoral neck, and total hip decreased by 0.417%, 0.127%, and 0.213% at 1 year after alendronate treatment; for every 10% decrease in OC, the change rates in BMDs at the lumbar spine 1-4, femoral neck, and total hip decreased by 0.582%, 0.258%, and 0.375%. Conclusions:Alendronate significantly increases BMDs and decreases BTMs levels in elderly women with osteoporosis. BTMs have a predictive value for the changes of BMDs, allowing early monitoring for the effect of alendronate treatment.