[Relationship between C-telopeptides of type I collagen serum values with bone mineral density and antiosteoporotic drug intake in postmenopausal women. Preliminary data from the FRODOS study].

Background And Objective: Few studies have addressed the role of bone turnover markers (BTM) in Spanish postmenopausal women. The goal of the study was to analyse the relationship between crosslinked C-telopeptides of type I collagen (betaCTXs) serum values and bone mineral density (BMD) and antiosteoporotic drug intake in a large sample of postmenopausal women.

Patients And Method: We have recruited 1495 women aged 59-70 years (15.7 years since menopause) randomly selected from the general population within the cross-sectional phase of a cohort study. All participants had undergone betaCTXs testing in fast state, BMD scan of spine and femur (WHO classification) and a clinic-epidemiological questionnaire with specific drug intake record.

Results: Twenty-six (26) % of the participants had osteoporosis and 18% took antiosteoporotic drugs. In women who did not receive antiosteoporotic drugs, betaCTXs was higher in participants with osteoporosis and osteopenia when compared with those with normal BMD (p < 0.05). In women under therapy, betaCTXs was significantly lower compared with women with no therapy and the mean values were similar to those of premenopausal women.

Conclusions: In this group of unselected postmenopausal women, betaCTXs values are associated with BMD categories and showed a marked decrease in those taking antiosteoporotic drugs.