Correlation of Fgf23 and Balp with Bone Mineral Density in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with numerous complications such as bone mineral disorder. The aim of our study was to analyze the correlation of bone turnover markers with Bone Mineral Density (BMD) measurements in Tunisian end stage renal diseases (ESRD) patients.

Methods: This study included 100 ESRD Tunisian patients.

[The role of type II collagen fragments and X-ray progression of knee osteoarthritis].

Aims: To investigate the association between type II collagen fragments and the presence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in the Tunisian population and to determine whether this biomarker can predict X-ray progression of this disease.

Methods: Type II collagen C-telopeptide (uCTX-II) and helical peptide (sHelix-II) were assessed in 125 female patients with knee osteoarthritis aged 54 ± 8 years over 2 years and 57 female age-matched controls. The markers were measured at baseline, 1 and 2 yrs' follow-up corresponding to x-ray time points.

Prevalence of hemoglobin variants in a diabetic population at high risk of hemoglobinopathies and optimization of HbA1c monitoring by incorporating HPLC in the laboratory workup.

Background: In Tunisia, diabetes mellitus and hemoglobinopathies are major public health problems. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is recommended for long-term monitoring of diabetes mellitus, but the presence of hemoglobin variants may interfere with HbA1c measurement. The aim was to determine the prevalence of hemoglobin variants in Tunisian diabetics and optimize the monitoring of diabetics using HbA1c.

Advantage of HbA1c assay by HPLC D-10 versus cobas integra 400 in a population carrier for HbS and HbC.

Background: Several studies demonstrate significant bias in analytical methods used to measure glycohemoglobin. The clinical importance of that fact is evident when HbA1c overestimation leads to aggressive glucose management, resulting in more frequent hypoglycaemic episodes. Our study was aimed to compare two automated instruments (Integra 400 and D-10) in the evaluation of HbA1c in the Tunisian population.

Association of serum levels of aggrecan ARGS, NITEGE fragments and radiologic knee osteoarthritis in Tunisian patients.

Objectives: Proteolytic degradation of aggrecan is a hallmark of the pathology of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify the serum levels of specific aggrecan fragments generated by aggrecanases-mediated cleavage. We investigated the relationships between these two aggrecan degradations fragments and urinary CTX-II levels.

C-telopeptides of type I collagen in postmenopausal women: an experience in a Tunisian clinical laboratory.

Aim: The purpose of study was to evaluate the interest of C-telopeptides of type I collagen (CTX) in the diagnosis of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and to define its cut-off value.

Methods: A transverse descriptive study enrolled postmenopausal women: 139 osteoporotic (G1) and 39 non osteoporotic (G2). The 2 groups were defined by bone density measurement.

[The interest of biochemical markers of bone turnover for monitoring treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis].

Background: Postmenopausal osteoporosis is especially female pathology, whose incidence increases with age.

Aim: The purposes of this study are to evaluate the level of bone turnover by the determination of markers of bone formation (PAL, BAP) and marker of bone resorption (CTX) in the osteoporotic women, to study the correlations between bone biochemical markers, clinical parameters and radiological measurements and to assess the interest of biochemical markers therapeutic monitoring after 6 months of antiresorptive treatment.

Methods: The authors report a prospective study of 134 osteoporotic women classified in two groups according to the presence of osteoporotic fracture.

[Biochemical markers of bone remodeling: recent data of their applications in managing postmenopausal osteoporosis].

The recent development of new biochemical markers has considerably improved the non invasive exploration of bone turnover. Currently, the most sensitive markers to access bone formation are osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase and N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen. Blood or urinary immunoassays of pyridinoline, deoxy-pyridinoline and terminal telopeptides type I of collagen are currently the best indices to evaluate the bone resorption.