Correlation between biochemical bone markers among patients with osteoporosis who visited a pain clinic

Osteoporosis is a common and debilitating disease affecting all the bones of the body. Measurement of serum concentration of biochemical bone turnover markers has the potential to identify the type of osteoporosis and to determine the optimal therapy for each patient. Several markers have been proposed as indicators of bone formation or resorption. However, the correlation between the markers has not been fully determined. In the present study, 3 serum markers of bone formation (intact bone Gla protein, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and carboxy-terminal peptide of type I procollagen (PICP)) and a plasma marker of bone resorption (tartrate resistant acid phosphatase, TRAP) were measured in 108 female patients who visited our pain clinic complaining of back and/or leg pain, and who were suspected of having osteoporosis (Japanese osteoporosis criteria II or III) on the basis of standard skeletal radiography. Significant correlation was observed between the 3 serum markers of bone formation (p < 0.01), and between a serum marker of bone formation and the plasma marker of bone resorption (p < 0.01).