Appendicular bone density, biochemical markers of bone turnover and lifestyle factors in female teachers of Southern Italy.

The present study was designed to investigate relationships between urinary free pyridinolines (F-Pyr), serum osteocalcin (OC) and appendicular bone mineral density (BMD). Furthermore, possible correlations between such variables and putative risk factors for low bone density were also analysed. We were not able to find any relationships between biochemical markers of bone turnover and appendicular BMD or putative risk factors for osteoporosis at multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed a significant decrease of BMD when age increases (p < 0.001), with menopause and time since menopause (p < 0.001), while number of pregnancies (p = 0.018) was associated with a higher value of BMD. Age, menopause and time since menopause were significantly associated with urinary excretion of F-Pyr. Indeed age was an inverse effect modifier of the relationship between urinary excretion of F-Pyr and time since menopause.