Objectives: The study was planned to determine and correlate serum alkaline phosphatase, phosphate and calcium with bone mineral density in postmenopausal non-osteoporotic, osteopenic, and osteoporotic females and compare these values between the three groups.
Methods: In this cross sectional study postmenopausal females between 50-70 years of age were taken and divided into three groups, non-osteoporotic females (n=52), osteopenic (n=69) and osteoporotic (n=47). Serum alkaline phosphatase, phosphate and calcium were used in a stepwise multiple regression analysis to predict T-score in normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic postmenopausal females.
Results: In normal postmenopausal females, the model was statistically signifcant, F(2, 41) = 6.041, p < 0.05 and showed a T-score variance of 22%. T-score was primarily predicted by higher levels of phosphate and calcium. Phosphate received the strongest weight in the model followed by calcium. In postmenopausal osteopenic females, T-score was only predicted by lower levels of alkaline phosphatase. The model was statistically signifcant, F(1, 59) = 4.995, p < 0.05, and accounted for approximately 7% of the variance of T-score. Alkaline phosphatase received the strongest weight in the model. In postmenopausal osteoporotic females, the prediction model contained no predictors.
Conclusion: Our study suggested that calcium and phosphate are the strongest predictors of T-score in postmenopausal normal females that is greater the serum levels of phosphate and calcium better will be the T-score, while in postmenopausal osteopenic females alkaline phosphatase was the strongest predictor of T-score. Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels may help in determining loss of bone mineral density in postmenopausal females.
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