Maturitas 27 (1997) 171 – 177 Changes in bone collagen markers and in bone density in hormone treated and untreated postmenopausal women M. Brincat *, R. Galea, Y. Muscat Baron, A. Xuereb Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Luke’s Hospital Medical School, Uniersity of Malta, Gwarda Mangia, Malta Received 17 October 1996; received in revised form 3 February 1997; accepted 10 February 1997 Abstract Objectie: This study aims to compare bone mineral density measurements (BMD), pyridinium crosslink levels and pyridinium crosslink levels in untreated and hormone treated postmenopausal women. Methods: A cross-sectional study comparing biophysical (BMD) and biochemical (pyridinium crosslink and PCICP) parameters in a group of untreated postmenopausal women (n =145) to a group of postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (n =92). Results: Untreated postmenopausal women compared to postmenopausal women on HRT had higher Osteoblastic and Osteoclastic activity. Procollagen I C-end terminal peptide (PCICP) was 11.3% lower in the women on HRT compared to controls whilst crosslinks were 27.2% lower than in controls. This seems to indicate that women on HRT had a bone balance that was higher compared to the control group (15.9%). The difference in bone density of L2–L4 between the two groups was (16.1%). Conclusions: This study seems to indicate that post- menopausal women receiving HRT readjust their bone remodelling so that although osteoblastic function is reduced, there is a much greater deduction in osteoclastic function and this results in an overall higher bone mass observed in the BMD of women on HRT. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Keywords: Biochemical parameters; Biophysical parameters; Treated menopausal women; Untreated menopausal women 1. Introduction The menopause with its associated hypoestro- genism is being seen as having multisystemic ef- fects. The short term symptoms such as flushes, sweats, anxiety and irritability are readily iden- * Corresponding author. Tel.: +356 223035; fax: +356 235638. 0378-5122/97/$17.00 © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. PII S03 8-5122(97)01121-3