BONE-RESORPTION MARKERS - A COMPARISON OF 3 IMMUNOASSAYS

Straightforward, laboratory-based biochemical tests that measure marke rs of bone resorption in urine have substantially increased the inform ation available for the management of patients at risk of bone loss, T hese tests can help to identify patients most suitable for interventio n with anti-resorptive therapy to halt bone loss, and the subsequent m onitoring of therapeutic efficacy. A number of urinary bone resorption markers are available; each measures different substances and can var y in tissue specificity, metabolic process specificity and susceptibil ity to metabolic influences. Total variability of an assay derives bot h from the analytical characteristics of the assay and the biological variability of the measured analyte. This paper summarizes research on the components of analytical and biological variability for three bon e resorption markers.