Clinical Information

Human bone is continuously remodeled through a process of osteoclast-mediated bone formation and resorption. This process can be monitored by measuring serum and urine markers of bone formation and resorption. Approximately 90% of the organic matrix of bone is type I collagen, a helical protein that is cross-linked at the N- and C-terminal ends of the molecule. The amino acid sequences and orientation of the cross-linked alpha 2 N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen make it a specific marker of human bone resorption. N-terminal telopeptide (NTx) molecules are mobilized from bone by osteoclasts and subsequently excreted in the urine. Elevated levels of NTx indicate increased bone resorption.

Bone turnover markers are physiologically elevated during childhood, growth, and during fracture healing. The elevations in bone resorption markers and bone formation markers are typically balanced in these circumstances and of no diagnostic value. By contrast, abnormalities in the process of bone remodeling can result in changes in skeletal mass and shape. Many diseases, in particular hyperthyroidism, all forms of hyperparathyroidism, most forms of osteomalacia and rickets (even if not associated with hyperparathyroidism), hypercalcemia of malignancy, Paget disease, multiple myeloma, and bony metastases, as well as various congenital diseases of bone formation and remodeling can result in accelerated and unbalanced bone turnover. Unbalanced bone turnover, usually without increase in bone turnover, is also found in age-related and postmenopausal osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Disease-associated bone turnover abnormalities should normalize in response to effective therapeutic interventions, which can be monitored by measurement of serum and urine bone resorption and formation markers.