J. Phys. IV France 107 (2003) 601
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:20030375

Bone turnover in elderly females and males using bisphosphonate treatment-A pilot study

B.L. Gulson^{1, 2}, K.J. Mizon^{1, 2}, H. Smith³, J. Eisman⁴, J.M. Palmer², M.J. Korsch², J. Donnelly⁵ and K. Waite<sup>3

1</sup>  Graduate School ofthe Environment, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia
²  CSIRO, Division of Exploration and Mining, North Ryde, Australia
³  Department of Endocrinology, Westmead Hospital Sydney, NSW, Australia
⁴  Bone and Mineral Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
⁵  John B Donnelly & Associates Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia

Abstract

We undertook a 2 year pilot study in premenopausal and postmenopausal females and male partners in which the subjects were administered a bisphosphonate, alendronate, for 6 months. The aim ot the study was to determine how lead isotopes and lead concentrations changed in relation to bone remodelling processes. Each subject had blood and urine samples collected for markers of bone turnover and for lead isotope studies monthly for 7-9 months before and then 3 monthly during and for up to 6 months after treatment with alendronate as an agent for inhibiting bone resorption. There were significant decreases in the lead isotope ratio, ²⁰⁶Pb/ ²⁰⁴Pb, for the migrant subjects cluring treatment compared with thepre-treatment period ( ). The average bloodlead concentrations in migrant subjects decreased by about 20% during the treatment compared with the pre-treatment period ( ). The changes in lead isotopic composition and lead concentration are consistent with a decrease m bone résorption and associated mobilisation of lead during alendronate therapy.

© EDP Sciences 2003