Changes in levels of biochemical markers and ultrasound indices of Os calcis across the menopausal transition

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the changes in the le vels of biochemical markers and ultrasound indices of os calcis across the menopausal transition. One hundred and ten healthy women (age 35-59 years a t the 1992 baseline) participated in this LC-year population-based longitud inal study. Serum intact osteocalcin (IOC), urinary pyridinoline (Pyr), uri nary deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr) and ultrasound indices were measured at basel ine and after 4 years. The percentage changes in biochemical markers (%Delt a IOC, %Delta Pyr and %Delta Dpyr) and the percentage decreases in the ultr asound indices (%Delta SOS, %Delta BUA and %Delta Stiffness) were calculate d. The values of %Delta IOC and %Delta Dpyr in the perimenopausal subgroup (-4 to -3 years since menopause) and the values of %Delta SOS and %Delta St iffness in the perimenopausal subgroup (-2 to 0 years since menopause) were significantly higher than those in other groups. Pyr was significantly cor related with %Delta SOS (r = -0.467, p<0.01) and %Delta Stiffness (r=-0.330 , p<0.05) and Dpyr was significantly correlated with %Delta SOS (r = -0.390 , p<0.05), %Delta BUA (r = -0.353, p<0.05) and %Delta Stiffness (r= -0.454, p<0.05), while %Delta IOC was significantly correlated with %Delta SOS (r = -0.278, p<0.05), %Delta BUA (r = -0.369, p<0.01) and %Delta Stiffness (r= -0.383, p<0.01) in the peri- and postmenopausal groups, These results indi cate that the increase in bone turnover occurs 4 years before menopause. Ho wever, the correlations between biochemical markers and ultrasound indices were too low to allow prediction of bone change in the individual patient.