Association between bone turnover markers, bone mineral density and vitamin D in Moroccan postmenauposal women

The aim of the study is to find the correlation between bone turnover markers and bone mineral density in a cohort of Moroccan postmenopausal women. Patients and methods. - A cross-sectional study, conducted over a period of 12 months from October 2008 to November 2009. Five hundred Moroccan postmenopausal women volunteers participated in this study and we included only 185. Results. - In this cohort of 185 women, average age 60 years, the percentage of osteoporotic women was 35.7%, they were older 62.09 (9.13) years and they had an average of the body mass index (BMI), the lowest 29.58 (4.45). The values of the bone mineral density (BMD) measured at the lumbar spine correlated positively and significantly with BMI (P < 0.001), serum calcium (P = 0.026), negatively with age (P < 0.001) and osteocalcin (OC) (P = 0.0033). As for the results of BMD measured at the femoral neck, they show a negative and highly significant correlation with age (P < 0.001) and osteocalcin. Looking for an association between the biochemical markers of bone remodeling, a weak positive correlation was found between the calcium (Ca) and alkaline phosphatase (PAL) on the one hand and Ca and intact parathyroid hormone (PTHi) in the other hand. And a significant positive correlation was found between PTH; and PAL, and between PTHi and OC. Filially, a significant positive correlation was found between the cross-laps (beta-ox) and Ca and between PAL and OC. Conclusion. - Our results are in agree to some international studies and disagree to others. (C) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.