Association between Alkaline Phosphatase with Bone Mineral Density in 50s Healthy Korean Men

Background: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a biochemical bone marker used to predict the activity of osteoblasts. This study aimed to determine the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and ALP as an early predictive marker for osteoporosis in Korean men. Methods: A total of 3,149 healthy Korean men admitted between April 2012 and May 2013 in the National Police Hospital in Seoul, Korea for a routine health check-up were recruited for this study. BMD measured at the femur neck and lumbar spine by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; body mass index; and levels of fasting blood sugar, ALP, and creatinine were measured. To determine the associations with BMD, we used Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Age, ALP, and smoking history were independently associated with BMD of the lumbar spine and femur neck on multiple linear regression analysis. BMD of the lumbar spine and femur neck significantly decreased with increase in ALP. Conclusion: There is a negative correlation between BMD and ALP. Therefore, the measurement of ALP can provide supplementary data as an early predictive marker for osteoporosis in men.