Abstract

TAU, Cristina. Bone markers in children and adolescents. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2016, vol.50, n.3, pp.407-421. ISSN 0325-2957.

Bone markers are specific bone-derived molecules that can be classified into two categories: bone formation and bone resorption markers. Compared to adults, children have dramatically elevated bone marker concentrations due to high skeletal growth velocity and rapid bone turnover. They reflect growth (skeletal modelling) and remodelling and no marker is specific for any of the different biological processes of remodelling, modelling or epiphyseal growth. Bone turnover markers may not be easy to interpret in children as they are influenced by many physiological factors, such as age, gender, growth velocity, and pubertal stage. Knowledge of growth velocity and pubertal development is necessary to interpret the values of biological markers of bone turnover correctly. Turnover markers also show a diurnal variation, with a peak of concentrations in the morning and nadir of concentrations in the late afternoon. To date, a variety of pediatric references for bone markers have been reported. This review describes research findings on various sera and urine markers that reflect bone formation and resorption in children and adolescents. While bone markers are useful in research in the field of bone metabolism, their utility in routine clinical applications in pediatrics has not been established.

Keywords : Bone markers of formation; Bone markers of resorption; Pediatrics.

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