Biochemical diagnosis of immobilization osteoporosis

The authors have ascertained informative laboratory tests for diagnosis of immobilization osteoporosis and prognostic tests of reparative osteogenesis in its presence. A study was conducted in 97 patients (mean age 39.8 +/- 9.5 years) with bone nonunion and immobilization osteoporosis diagnosed densitometrically (DPXA, Lunar, USA). The proposed procedures are topical if no densitometric study is available and the prediction of osteogenesis on the basis of the phosphatase index is of informative value at the X-ray negative stage (1 month after surgery). The procedures are available and cost-effective; their sensitivity is 75-77%.