Bone histomorphometric reference values in 88 normal Italian subjects.

The study deals with bone histomorphometric results obtained from 88 normal subjects (38 women and 50 men; range: 20-89 years), in order to establish control values in an Italian population. Bone specimens were obtained at autopsy from a standardized area of the iliac crest. The following indicators were measured: bone volume (BV/TV), osteoid volume, osteoid surface, osteoblast surface, eroded surface, osteoclast surface, osteoid thickness. Dependence of histomorphometric indicators on sex and age was evaluated by multiple regression analysis, including sex, age, and also a quadratic term (age2) and two interaction terms (sex x age, sex x age2). BV/TV was mainly affected by age. In fact, a decrease in the amount of bone was found with increasing age in both males and females. The reduction appeared rather regular, with negligible differences between males and females. The other indicators were found to be age- and sex-independent. As a consequence, they did not give information on the possible changes of bone apposition and resorption processes due to aging. On the whole, histomorphometric indicators of trabecular bone of the normal Italian population do not greatly differ from those reported for most other caucasian people.