[Assessment of cortical bone mineral density and biochemical markers of bone metabolism in postmenopausal osteoporosis].

The aim of this study was to assess cortical bone mineral density and biochemical markers of bone metabolism according to age of patients and menopause in postmenopausal osteoporosis. 87 women aged 40-70 years with radiologically documented postmenopausal osteoporosis were studied. Standard radiological investigation of spine and ultrasound densitometry was performed. Magnetic resonance imaging computed tomography was provided in some cases for establishing the diagnosis of osteoporosis. SOS (speed of sound) of cortical bone was measured in the middle of the tibia by ultrasound densitometer-Sound Scan Compact (Myriad-Israel). Significant correlations were not found between the radiological changes of the axial skeleton and peripheral cortical BMD. Our results showed that cortical BMD correlates with the age of menopause (p<0,001) and decreases as patients aged. The method of peripheral ultrasound cortical bone densitometry frequently leads to hypodiagnosis in postmenopausal osteoporosis (23%). Therefore this method could not be used as an independent diagnostic tool and can be used for screening the elderly patients. The investigation of biochemical markers of bone turnover showed significant decreases of osteocalcin in the group with the age of menopause more then 10 years (p<0,001) while significant changes in calcium urinary excretion were not identified. That enables us to assume that misbalance between bone resorbtion and formation increases according to the age of menopause, towards the bone resorbtion.