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Biomarkers in Bone Disease pp 933–958Cite as

Effect of Statins on Bone Turnover Markers

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Abstract

The link between statins, the most prescribed drugs worldwide, and the bone remodeling process have been recently suggested. Thus, there is growing evidence about an anabolic and even anticatabolic effect of statins on bone metabolism.

Bone turnover markers (BTMs) reflect the remodeling status and provide a dynamic assessment of the skeleton which may complement the information obtained by bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. However, the effect of statins on BTMs has been reported in a few randomized controlled trials, with contradictory results, mainly based on its small sample size and shorter duration of treatment. Most of them concluded that serum BTMs are lower in patients on statins than in nonusers. Overall, decreases in BTMs have been more evident in subjects receiving the more lipophilic statins, especially when using for long periods of time. Simvastatin and atorvastatin have been the most studied statins regarding its effects on bone metabolism. In this chapter, the main data on the effect of all the marketed statins on BTMs will be reviewed.

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Abbreviations

ALP:

Alkaline phosphatase

AOBs:

Primary alveolar osteoblasts

AUC:

Area under the curve

BMD:

Bone mineral density

BMP:

Bone morphogenetic protein

BMP-2:

Bone morphogenetic protein-2

BP:

Bisphosphonates

BSAP:

Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase

BTMs:

Bone turnover markers

CTX:

Carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen

FPP:

Farnesyl pyrophosphate

GGPP:

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate

HMG-CoA reductase:

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase

IOF:

The International Osteoporosis Foundation

LDL:

Low-density lipoprotein

mRNA:

Messenger ribonucleic acid

NA:

Not available

No:

Number

NTX:

Amino-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen

OC:

Osteocalcin

OPG:

Osteoprotegerin

OVX:

Ovariectomy

PINP:

N-Terminal propeptide of type I procollagen

PDLs:

Periodontal ligament cells

RANKL:

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand

T½:

Terminal half life

t-AP:

Total alkaline phosphatase

TGF-β:

Transforming growth factor-beta

TRAP:

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase

ucOC:

Undercarboxylated osteocalcin

VLDL:

Very low-density lipoprotein

Vol.:

Volume

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bone Metabolism Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, University of Cantabria, Avda. Valdecilla s/n, 39008, Santander, Spain

    Magdalena Fernández García & José L. Hernández

Authors
  1. Magdalena Fernández García
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  2. José L. Hernández
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Correspondence to José L. Hernández .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

  2. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

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García, M.F., Hernández, J.L. (2017). Effect of Statins on Bone Turnover Markers. In: Patel, V., Preedy, V. (eds) Biomarkers in Bone Disease. Biomarkers in Disease: Methods, Discoveries and Applications. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7693-7_10

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