Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover in Camurati–Engelmann Disease: A Report on Four Cases in One Family

Moderate increases in ``classical' biochemical markers of bone turnover have been described only in some patients with Camurati–Engelmann disease. However, the determination of the following ``new' markers has not been previously performed: serum osteocalcin (BGP), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), aminoterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), telopeptide carboxyterminal of type I collagen (ICTP), urinary pyridinoline (PYR), crosslinked N-telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX), and Crosslaps (CL). Such a determination may improve the evaluation of the disease activity. To evaluate the usefulness of biochemical markers of bone turnover reflecting Camurati–Engelmann disease activity we measured the levels of all these markers in four affected patients. The results were compared with bone scintigraphic indices of disease activity. Except for PICP and TRAP, bone formation and resorption markers were abnormal in all patients and were related to bone scan indices of disease activity. Among the markers of bone formation PINP, BAP, and BGP showed the highest values, whereas NTX and CL were the most sensitive markers of bone resorption. These results suggest that the determination of NTX or CL, and PINP or either BAP and BGP, associated with bone scan evaluation, provides the best assessment of Camurati–Engelmann disease activity. Received: 14 June 1996 / Accepted: 31 December 1996