Can urinary pyridinium crosslinks and urinary oestrogens predict bone mass and rate of bone loss after the menopause?

Abstract

We measured urinary pyridinoline and deoxy-pyridinoline by high performance liquid chromatography, and urinary oestrogens by radioimmunoassay, in 68 healthy postmenopausal women to evaluate these assays for the prediction soon after the menopause of the risk of developing osteoporotic fractures in later life. Change in forearm bone mineral content was assessed by single photon absorptiometry over 4 years. Although there was no significant correlation between the pyridinium crosslinks and urinary oestrogens, we found that up to 58% of the variation in the rate of loss of bone mineral content in women soon after the menopause could be explained by pyridinoline and oestradiol glucuronide assays together with body mass index. Measurement of the urinary pyridinium crosslinks and oestradiol glucuronide may make a significant contribution to a biochemical screening procedure for future osteoporotic fracture.