Changes of serum levels of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3 during fracture healing.

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in serum markers relating to bone formation during fracture healing. Ten consecutive patients with fractures treated with or without surgery were included. Sera were collected periodically from patients for 80-280 (average 180) days after the fracture. The concentrations of intact osteocalcin, bone-specific alkali phosphatase (ALP), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-3 in the serum were measured by ELISA. All these serum markers increased or decreased after fracture and fluctuated during fracture healing, however, this pattern differed among the cases. In conclusion, serum markers such as osteocalcin, ALP, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 reflected in part the osteoblastic activity during bone formation.