Bone Health Panel
From Health Facts
Latest Edit: Hector 2014-03-24 (EDT)
| See Also | Lab Tests |
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The best approach to osteoporosis is prevention, especially in patients who are high risk. A Bone Health Panel is a valuable way to assess for osteoporosis risk and as a preliminary screening tool for other bone-related conditions.[1]
Discussion
- Peak bone mass occurs between 20 to 30 years of age. After that total bone mass gradually declines in both men and women.
- Some women experience an increased rate of bone loss in the early post-menopausal years.
- Total bone density is based on the difference between the levels of osteoclasts (which erode bone surfaces and release collagen by-products into circulation) and the level of osteoblasts (which are bone-forming cells that secrete bone matrix proteins and hormones that help in the remodeling and building of bone).
- Bone health is influenced by the level of estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, FSH and DHEA.
- The following are some of the known bone resorption and bone formation bone markers: C-telopeptide, N-telopeptide, Deoxypyridinoline, Pyridinium Crosslinks, Tartrate-resistant acid phophatase
What is Measured?
The following hormones are often included in a Bone Health Panel:
Bone formation blood tests can provide an indication of the rate of resorption and/or formation of bone. What is commonly measured includes:
- Blood calcium levels
- Vitamin D
- protein electrophoresis
- Bone-specific Alkaline Phosphatase (Alk Phos)
- Osteocalcin
- Procollagen Type I N-Terminal Propeptide (P1NP)
Tests that measure bone loss may include;
- C-telopeptide
- Deoxypryidinoline (DPD)
- Pyridinium Crosslinks
- Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) 5b
Indications
A Bone Health Panel can be used as a preliminary screening tool for the following conditions:
- those at high risk of osteoporosis
- monitoring osteoporosis treatment
- to assess hip-fracture risk
- estrogen-deficient women
- prior to long-term glucocorticoid therapy
- metabolic bone diseases
- rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue disease
- Paget’s disease.
- bone malignancies
