This study was a trial to evaluate the potential value of serum osteocalcin (BGP) as amarker of bone turnover in elderly osteoporotic male patients. Sixty five cases (all were males); 25 elderly non-osteoporotic males (group II) and 25 males with senile osteoporosis (group HI) comprised thematerial of this study. Fifteen middle aged normal control cases were selected (group I). For each case of this study; full history, complete clinical examination, laboratory investigations (including blood picture, stool and urine analysis, blood sugar estimai^EJ* renal and liver profile), for exclusion of any underlying disease; radiological study (X-ray spine) and estimation of serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and serumosteocalcin, all were done. Serumosteocalcin wasmeasured by the radioimmunoassay technique. Serumcalcium and phosphoruswere normal in all subjects of this study. The study revealed that both serum alkaline phosphatase levels ad also, serum osteocalcin levels increased wit age, and the increase for these two parameters was higher in the osteoporotic patients. Also, there was a significant correlation between serumalkaline phosphatase in the elderly group. We found that serum osteocalcin in the first group was 3.82+0.8 ng/ml; and in the second group was 7.13+1.7 ng/ml, while it was 13.403.9 ng/ml in the osteoporotic group. We may conclude that serialmeasurement of serumosteocalcin in elderly individualsmay be helpful in study of their bone dynamics and early diagnosis of senile osteoporosis. |
