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Age-Related Association of Calcitonin with Parameters of Anthropometry, Bone and Calcium Metabolism during Childhood

Juliane Sonntag1, Mandy Vogel1, Mandy Geserick1

  • 1LIFE Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

Hormone Research in Paediatrics
|December 14, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Calcitonin (CT) levels correlate with calcium and bone formation markers in infants and older children, suggesting a role in bone growth, particularly during the first year of life.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Bone Biology
  • Calcium Homeostasis

Background:

  • Calcitonin (CT) levels are high in early childhood during rapid bone turnover, but its physiological role remains unclear.
  • Existing data on CT's function in infancy, childhood, and adolescence is limited and often contradictory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate age-related correlations between serum calcitonin (CT) and parameters of bone growth, turnover, and calcium homeostasis in children.
  • To test the hypothesis that CT is associated with bone and calcium metabolism markers across different pediatric age groups.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of anthropometric data and serum samples from 2,636 children (2 months to 18 years) in the LIFE Child study.
  • Correlations between serum CT and indicators of calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), vitamin D, bone formation (P1NP, osteocalcin), and bone resorption (β-CrossLaps) were assessed.
  • Univariate and multiple regression analyses were performed, controlling for age, sex, and puberty.

Main Results:

  • In children aged 2 months–1.1 years, CT showed significant associations with calcium (Ca) and bone formation marker P1NP, independent of age and sex.
  • These associations were not observed in the 1.1–8 years age group.
  • In children aged 8–18 years, CT remained significantly positively related to Ca, independent of age, sex, puberty, P, and height SDS.

Conclusions:

  • Calcitonin (CT) exhibits a distinct association with calcium levels during specific periods of childhood, particularly in infancy.
  • Findings suggest a potential role for CT in promoting bone formation during the first year of life.
  • The relationship between CT and calcium homeostasis persists into adolescence.
Abstract

Keywords:
Bone metabolismCalcitoninCalcium homeostasisGrowth

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