[Significance of assaying serum bone GLA protein level in patients with hyperthyroidism]

The serum BGP level was assayed in patients with hyperthyroidism (untreated and remittent cases). The mean serum BGP concentration was 8.7 +/- 2.5 ng/ml in 54 patients with untreated hyperthyroidism, which was significantly higher than normal range (4.8 +/- 1.3 ng/ml P less than 0.01). Serum BGP had a significant positive correlation with the concentration of T3 and T4, while serum AKP had no correlation with circulating thyroid hormone levels. In the patients with hyperthyroidism, serum T3 and T4 decreased significantly after the first month of methimazole treatment, and fluctuated within the normal range since then. Serum BGP did not show significant change during the first six months of treatment, although they were eventually reduced significantly at the end of six months. These results suggest that serum BGP measurement is a valuable marker of bone metabolism alteration during hyperthyroidism.