Biochemical bone turnover markers in children and adolescents

Abstract

Bone is a dynamic tissue that consistently undergoes remodeling. During formation and resorption processes, bone turnover markers are released. They are specific bone-derived molecules that circulate in the blood or are present in the urine reflecting the bone metabolic activity (during childhood and adolescence: bone growth in length, modeling and remodeling). The use of biochemical bone turnover markers provides dynamic indices of bone turnover and complements the static measures of bone, such as measurement of bone mineral density using DEXA or measurement of bone geometry, mass and density using quantitative computed tomography. The assay of bone markers may be repeated at much shorter intervals than remaining measurements so may help in detecting influence of disease or effects of therapy much earlier than changes in bone mass or progression in bone disease can be ascertained. The usefulness of determination of bone turnover markers in children and adolescents requires that the influence of age, sex and pubertal stage be taken into consideration to interpret the results correctly. Bone turnover markers are used in children and adolescents to assess bone metabolic disorders, monitoring disease progression and antiresorptive therapy.

Vitamin D3 supplementation reduces serum markers of bone resorption and muscle damage in female basketball players with vitamin D inadequacy

“…Rising levels of estrogen and other sex hormones are accompanied by the secretion of growth hormone and insulin‐like growth factor I, which stimulates greater bone turnover during puberty compared to other phases of life. (Pater and Nowacki, 2012). However, the bone turnover response to vitamin D supplementation suggests an overlap between the age groups we examined.…”

“…Furthermore, no age-specific reference data are available for serum markers of bone turnover in basketball players. In this sense, it has been suggested that the increase in bone turnover markers coincides with the pubertal growth spurt (Pater and Nowacki, 2012). The rapid process of bone modeling and remodeling with progression through puberty could potentially increase the need for vitamin D in this accretive phase of life (Stagi et al, 2013).…”