Clin Osteol 2003; 8(2): 52-55

Total serum alkaline phosphatase activity and its relationship to age and growth in childrenArticles

Š. Kutílek, E. Márová, J. Barcalová, M. Bayer

Serum activity of alkaline phosphatase (S-ALP) has been used for many years as a marker of bone metabolism. During childhood up to 90% of total S­ ALP is of skeletal origin. Our aim was to evaluate the total S-ALP values in a pediatric reference population and to look for relationship between total S-ALP and growth rate. We obtained age-dependent values of total ALP for boys (n = 363) and girls (n = 347) aged 0 to 16 years . We observed highest S-ALP within the first two years of life in both sex, with another S-ALP peak in boys at the age of 7 years. There was a tendency toward higher S-ALP which failed to reach statistical significance in boys aged 11.00-14.99 years and in girls between 10.00-12.99 years of age. This was followed by a signi­ ficant drop in S-ALP in the following years. These findings can be attributed to increased growth velocity in the first two years of life, to temporary inc­ rease in total body calcium between ages 7 and 8 years in boys, and to the large interindividual variability in the onset and duration of puberty and pu­ bertal growth spurt. The obtained data bear similarity to previously reported age-dependent changes in bone isoform of ALP. Throughout all age-groups, the total S-ALP correlated significantly with the mean growth rate in boys (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) and girls (r = 0.59, p < 0.001). In conclusion, total S-ALP can be used as a routine marker of bone formation in children.

Keywords: alkaline phosphatase, growth, children.

Published: December 11, 2003  Show citation