NEW EVIDENCE THAT SERUM BETA(2)-MICROGLOBULIN BEHAVES AS A BIOLOGICALMARKER OF BONE REMODELING IN WOMEN

Having observed that serum beta(2)-microglobulin concentration correla tes with serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) concentratio n in postmenopausal osteoporosis, and that metacarpal endosteal diamet er is dependent on bone resorption, we correlated the two biochemical parameters with the radiographic parameter to determine if beta(2)-mic roglobulin behaves like a biological marker of bone remodelling. In 10 5 women (mean age 68 +/- 4 years) consisting of 60 normal postmenopaus al women and 55 osteoporotic postmenopausal women, there was a signifi cant positive correlation between metacarpal endosteal diameter and th ese two biochemical values (r = 0 . 66 with beta(2)-microglobulin and r = 0 . 68 with TRAP in the osteoporotic postmenopausal women; r = 0 . 48 with beta(2)-microglobulin and r = 0 . 56 with TRAP in the normal postmenopausal women; P < 0 . 001 for all comparisons). All three meas urements were significantly higher (P < 0 . 001) in the osteoporotic p ostmenopausal women than in the normal postmenopausal women. These fin dings show that serum beta(2)-microglobulin behaves like a biological marker of remodelling.