This chapter describes the diagnostics of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) with the main focus on the radiographic changes and the role of different bone markers as procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), C-telopeptide crosslaps of type I col‐ lagen (CTX-1) as well as vitamin D (25(OH)D) in the pathogenesis of TMDs. From our population-based study, 47% subjects had TMJ problems...

BACKGROUND An elevated serum concentration of homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia) has been shown to disturb fracture healing. As the essential amino acid, methionine, is a precursor of homocysteine, we aimed to investigate whether excess methionine intake affects bone repair. MATERIAL/METHODS We analyzed bone repair in 2 groups of mice. One group was fed a methionine-rich diet (n=13), and the...

Although calcium metabolism during pregnancy is well described the mechanisms involved in bone metabolism are not quite clear. Increase of osteoprotegerin (OPG) with elevated bone turnover is supposed to be a homeostatic mechanism limiting bone loss. The aim of the study was to assess bone turnover in pregnancy in relation to serum osteoprotegerin level. Osteocalcin (OC), beta-crosslaps (CTx), ...

AIM To evaluate BMD and bone resorption marker in HIV-infected patients in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed between February and May 2008 in adult HIV-infected patients who had not been treated with antiretrovirals. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) bone densitometer (Lunar Prodigy, GE Medical Sys...

We investigated the effect of calcitonin in the prevention of acute bone loss after a pertrochanteric fracture and its ability to reduce the incidence of further fractures in the same patient. Fifty women aged between 70 and 80 years who had a pertrochanteric fracture of the hip were randomly allocated to group A (200 IU of nasal salmon calcitonin daily for three months) or group B (placebo). P...

Transient hyperphosphatasemia of infancy and early childhood (THI) is characterized by a temporary isolated elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), predominantly its bone or liver isoform, in either sick or healthy children under 5 years of age. Return to normal ALP levels usually occurs within four months. Spontaneous rise of ALP might concern the physician, especially when tre...

PURPOSE The target of our work was to study several biochemical parameters in phospho-calcic and bone metabolism in blood and urine and the bone mineral density of women with recurrent calcium nephrolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study with a control group of 85 women divided into 3 groups: group 1 consisted of 25 women without a history of nephrolithiasis, gr...

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of vitamin D receptor and estrogen receptor genotypes and their relationship with the lumbar spine or femoral neck bone mineral density in healthy pre and perimenopausal women from Córdoba (Argentina) and adjacent areas. Genotypes were assessed by restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction technique. Bsm I and Fok I fo...

Biochemical bone turnover markers (BTMs) provide important information on the diagnosis, therapy and monitoring of metabolic bone diseases. They are evident before measurable changes in bone mineral density (BMD) take place. A total of 35 adult Saudi patients (23 males; 12 females) with type 2 diabetes and diagnosed to be vitamin D deficient were recruited in this prospective study. Here we inv...

BACKGROUND Recently, hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) has been suggested as a new risk factor for osteoporosis. This study investigated if HHCY is a causal osteoporotic factor in vivo. METHODS We used 3 groups of rats: a control group (n = 20), a moderate HHCY group (induced by a 2.4% methionine-enriched diet, n = 10), and an intermediate HHCY group (induced by a 2% homocystine-enriched diet, n = ...