SERUM LEVELS OF BONE RESORPTION MARKER C-TELOPEPTIDE OF TYPE-I COLLAGEN FOR PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL RURAL NIGERIAN WOMEN IN ZUTURUNG DISTRICT, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

In postmenopausal women, the two major causes of bone loss are estrogen deficiency after menopause and their
advancing age. The objective of this study was to determine serum level of a bone resorption marker C-Terminal
telopeptides of Type I Collagen (CTx), serum calcium levels and mean anthropometric parameters for a group of rural
postmenopausal women as compared with their premenopausal counterparts. The cross-sectional study was carried
out in 38 premenopausal and 75 postmenopausal women in Zuturung, Kaduna State, Nigeria. They were selected
based on some inclusion and exclusion criteria. Questionnaires were administered to the participants while their
anthropometric parameters were taken. Blood was collected, centrifuged and the sera stored frozen for further analysis
using standard methods at the Department of Chemical Pathology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital,
Shika. Data were analyzed using Student’s t-test and a p value of <0.05 was considered to be significant. Menopause
had the effect of reduced mean serum calcium (2.30±0.35 mg/dl) and decreased mean serum C-Tx(135.20±42.90
ng/ml) and an increased mean waist circumference (89.63±10.66 cm) for the postmenopausal women as compared
with their premenopausal women (2.37±0.15 mg/dl, 155.90±88.70 ng/ml & 83.73±8.00 cm respectively). We
conclude that the rural postmenopausal women had lower mean serum calcium levels, lower bone resorption (as
evidenced by decrease in mean serum CTx) and also presented with a longer waist circumference as compared to the
premenopausal women. We recommend calcium supplementation in the postmenopausal women and screening of
women (especially the premenopausal women) for osteoporosis.