Osteocalcin and bone morphometric parameters in adults without bone disease

Summary Serum bone Gla-protein (s-BGP or osteocalcin) and other serum biochemical parameters were measured in 19 subjects (8 women and 11 men, aged 20–82 years) without any bone disease. Each subject simultaneously underwent an iliac crest biopsy; tetracycline double-labeling was performed in 11 subjects, allowing correlations between s-BGP and bone histomorphometric parameters. s-BGP was significantly correlated with static bone parameters: trabecular bone volume (r=0.74;P<0.001), osteoid surfaces (r=0.69;P<0.001), osteoblastic surfaces (r=0.68;P<0.002); dynamic bone formation parameters: total labeled surfaces (r=0.72;P<0.01); and the bone formation rate (r=0.69;P<0.01). We conclude that s-BGP is a valuable marker for evaluating bone formation in healthy adult subjects.