[Biological profile and value of determination of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase in children].

The serum level of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) was measured in 130 children (61 M: 69 F). TRAP was found to be significantly higher in children under 5 years (n = 20) than in those aged between 5 and 9 years (n = 47) (8.3 + 2.4 vs 6.3 + 1.3 U/L, p less than 0.05). This last group had significantly lower TRAP levels than the one composed by children between 10 to 14 years (n = 60) (6.3 + 1.3 vs 7.5 + 1.2 U/L, p less than 0.02). We observed that a significant correlation existed between TRAP and alkiline phosphatase (r = 0.672, p less than 0.001). There was no correlation between TRAP and age and no difference between sexes. These results suggest that TRAP is useful as a marker of bone remolding in children.