Elevated levels of serum bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein in postmenopausal women

Abstract

A total of 26 subjects, 13 premenopausal and 13 postmenopausal women, aged between 46 and 52 were examined for their cortical thickness of the clavicle, serum bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein (BGP, osteocalcin), serum alkaline phosphatase, serum calcium, serum inorganic phosphate, urinary calcium/creatinine and urinary inorganic phosphate/creatinine. Serum BGP was significantly higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. Serum alkaline phosphatase also tended to elevate in postmenopausal women, while there were no significant differences in cortical thickness of the clavicle, serum calcium, serum inorganic phosphate, urinary calcium/creatinine and urinary inorganic phosphate/creatinine between the two. Considering that both serum BGP and serum alkaline phosphatase are markers of bone formation, these findings indicate that menopause firstly accelerates bone turnover preceding age-related bone loss.