P2. Deoxypyridinoline as an improved marker for bone resorption in postmenopausal osteoporosis

Abstracts from the Bone and Tooth Society Meeting studies in contrast suggested a relationship of Paget’s disease to previous dog ownership, raising the possibility that canine distemper (CDV), a canine morbillovirus closely related to measles might be the cause. We have now tested for the presence of mRNA of both CDV and MV, using. specific riboprobes of the nucleocapsid genes, labelled with 35s. Formalin-fixed decalcified biopsy specimens from 16 patients were hybridised under conditions of high stringency. No hybridisation was observed with the MV probe whilst strong hybridisation with the CDV probe was seen in four out of twelve untreated, and one out of four APDtreated patients. Hybridisation was seen in both multinucleated osteoclasts and mononuclear osteoblasts. These results suggest that infection with CDV may be involved in at least some cases of Paget’s disease. Reference M F Basle, J G Fournier, S Rosenblatt, A Rebel and M J Bouteille, Gen Viral 65, 907-913.

Pl. Rates of bone loss at the hip and spine in the early menopause P Thompson, T Spector*, A Edwards, K Britton* *London Hospital Medical College and St Bartholomew’s Hospital It has been suggested that rates of bone loss vary considerably after the menopause but few data are available. Here we report preliminary results from a study designed to assess the rates of bone loss in a cohort of early postmenopausal women. Repeatability was assessed on 23 normal premenopausal subjects who underwent dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) of the femoral neck and lumbar spine (LZ-4) twice within one month. Analysis used the method of the British Standards Institution (BS5497, part I, 1979). Sixty-two women not taking oestrogens were scanned by the same observer within 2 years of their last menstrual period and one year later. The 23 repeat measures correlated strongly (hip, r=0.98; spine, r=0.97) and the coefficients of repeatability were 0.049gHAlcmz and 0.047gI-IA/cm2, respectively. For the 62 women the mean (SD) bone measurements were: hip = 0.72 (0.09)gHA/cmz, spine = 0.79 (O.ll)gHA/cmZ. The median (interquartile range) rates of bone loss were: hip =O.O (-2.9, +3.2) percent and; spine = -1.2 (-3.9, +2.2) percent. There was no significant correlation between the rates (r=0.012). The results support the concept that bone is preferentially lost from the spine in the early menopause. P2. Deoxypyridinoline as an improved marker for bone resorption in postmenopausal osteoporosis R Eastell, A Colwell, A MA Assiri, M F Burritt, M S Calvo, B L Riggs, R G G Russell Department of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry, University of Sheffield, and Mayo Clinic, Rockestel; Minnesota, USA

219 In postmenopausal osteoporosis there is an overall increase in bone resorption of about 50%. The collagen crosslink, dexoypyridinoline (DPYR), may be more useful than hydroxyproline (HYPRO) as a marker of bone resorption as it is specific for bone and is not metabolised. We studied 15 normal postmenopausal women (mean age 64 years, SD 7 years) and 15 women with vertebral fracture (mean age 64 years, SD 5 years). Urine was collected in 3-8 hour periods starting at 7a.m. Urinary hydroxyproline was measured by reverse-phase HPLC and urinary deoxypyridinoline was measured by fluorescence detection after reversephase HPLC using ion-pairing reagents. Results are mean + standard error. Group Normal Osteoporosis P

n 15 15

u-HYPRO (pmoV24hr) 143+18 161+14 NS

u-DPYR

’(pmo1124hr) 96f13 156f16
In the normal women, there was a nocturnal increase in the excretion of hydroxyproline (33%, P
P3. Bone histomorphometry in elderly patients with hip fracture S Vedi, P I Croucher, J E Compston Department of Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, CardiffCF4 4XN It has been claimed that osteomalacia contributes to the high incidence of hip fracture in the elderly UK population. In addition, a lesser degree of vitamin D deficiency may cause secondary hyperparathyroidism, increased bone turnover and bone loss; we have recently reported elevated intact serum parathyroid hormone levels in a high proportion of elderly hip fracture patients’. We have examined bone biopsies in 49 patients, 9 male, aged 67-92 years, admitted to hospital with femoral neck fracture. Trans-iliac biopsies were obtained at operation and static indices of trabecular bone formation and resorption quantitatively assessed by standard techniques. Osteomalacia, defined by increased osteoid seam width, was present in only one patient, seam width and relative osteoid volume being normal in the remaining patients (7.5+2.4pm and 2.7+_2.3% respectively, mean+SD). Relative osteoid surface was significantly reduced compared to controls (14.7f10.6 vs 35.0*15.1%, P