Bone turnover marker (BTM)

Bone metabolism markers, also known as bone turnover markers (BTMs), are biochemical indicators measured in blood or urine that reflect the rates of bone formation and bone resorption. They include molecules such as procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP), which is released during bone formation, and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), which is released during bone resorption. BTMs are commonly used to assist in the diagnosis and management of metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis, to monitor response to antiresorptive or anabolic therapy, and as prognostic or diagnostic tools in certain cancers with bone involvement. However, these markers are not therapeutic targets themselves, but rather are used as surrogates of bone metabolic activity in clinical practice and research. They belong to various protein or peptide families, depending on the marker, and their use is limited by biological and preanalytical variability, as well as issues of standardization between laboratories[4][2][5][6][1].

Other names

Bone metabolism markersBone markersBone turnover markersBone remodeling markersBone metabolic markers