This study was conducted to compare bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone metabolism of an osteoporotic hip fracture group with those of a control group.

The fracture group included 76 patients with hip fractures who were injured by low energy trauma from November, 1999 to August, 2003. The control group consisted of 83 patients recruited over the same period. There were 22 men and 54 women in the fracture group, with an average age of 67.2 years for men and 71.1 years for women. In the control group, there were 22 men and 61 women, of average age 67.9 years for men and 70.1 years for women. There were no siginificant differences in age, height, weight, or body mass index. We analyzed BMD by a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Bone specific alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP) and osteocalcin were used as markers of bone formation and urine-deoxypyridinoline (DPD) as a maker of bone resorption.

B-ALP showed a significant decrease in the fracture group (p<0.05). Also, average serum osteocalcin showed a significant decrease in the fracture group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in urine-DPD between the two groups. The mean values of BMD in men and women were significantly decreased in the fracture group.

The results of this study suggest that a decreased BMD contributes to hip fractures in elderly people and that B-ALP and serum osteocalcin rather than urine-DPD are reliable biochemical markers of bone metabolism in osteoporotic hip fractures.