[The usefulness of biochemical markers of bone remodelling in the diagnosis and follow-up of Paget's disease of bone, primary hyperparathyroidism, tumoral hypercalcemia and postmenopausal osteoporosis. I. The markers of bone formation].

Rapid detection of the exact changes in bone remodelling is exceptionally important. In this paper, the latest bone remodelling biochemical markers are reviewed. Some of them have already been used for a long time, and their utility has been widely demonstrated. The newest ones, in experimental stage, can be used as a complement to the others. The bone remodelling markers reviewed are: 1) Alkaline phosphatase; 2) osteocalcin; 3) Other noncollagen of bone matrix such as osteonectin, GLA-protein of the matrix, osteopontine and alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein; 4) Procollagenous and other collagenous peptides of the matrix (C terminal of type-I procollagen and urinary elimination of nondialysis hydroxyproline. Amongst the bone resorption markers studied are: 1) Calcium/creatinine urinary quotient; 2) Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase; 3) Urinary hydroxyproline; 4) Other substances derived from collagen disruption such as hydroxilysin glycoside, piridinolinic intermolecular bridges and the enzymatic activity of proline iminopeptidase. We endeavoured to collect all the most important references on the matter, especially those relating to Paget's disease of the bone, primary hyperparathyroidism, tumoral hypercalcemia and postmenopausal osteoporosis.