SERUM AND URINARY MARKERS OF TYPE-I AND TYPE-III COLLAGEN TURNOVER DURING SHORT-TERM PREDNISOLONE TREATMENT IN HEALTHY-ADULTS

During recent years new sensitive serum and urinary makers have been i ntroduced for assessment of collagen turnover. The aim of the present study was to assess whether short-term prednisolone treatment is assoc iated with any adverse effects on serum levels of the type I collagen synthesis marker, the carboxy terminal propeptide of type I procollage n (PICP); on the type I collagen degradation marker in serum, the carb oxy terminal pyridinoline cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP); on a serum marker of type III collagen synthesis, the aminoter minal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), or on the type I co llagen degradation markers urinary pyridinoline (PYD) and deoxypyridin oline (DPD) concentrations. We studied 12 men and 8 premenopausal wome n aged 19-45 years (mean 31). All subjects were healthy. The design wa s a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study w ith a 2-day run-in, a 3-day treatment period and a 4-day run-out. Duri ng runin and run-out no medication was given. During the treatment per iod the subjects took either prednisolone, 40 mg per day, or placebo. Blood and urine were collected at the last day of each period. The int ergroup comparisons of run-in treatment values showed that prednisolon e suppressed PICP (p<0.001) and PIIINP (p<0.001). PICP levels remained suppressed during run-out, whereas PIITNP returned to pretreatment le vels. No prednisolone-induced effects on ICTP or on urinary PYD or DPD were detected by the intergroup comparisons. Short-term prednisolone treatment is associated with suppressive effects on type I and III col lagen turnover. Whether serum PICP is more sensitive than urinary PYD and DPD for detection of short-term suppressive effects on type I coll agen turnover remains to be further evaluated.