ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTION OF DEPRESSED CIRCULATING LEVELS OF VITAMIN K₁IN OSTEOPOROSIS

TLDR

Vitamin K‑dependent γ‑carboxylation of bone‑matrix peptides is essential for bone formation, so circulating vitamin K1 levels may reflect this process. HPLC with electrochemical detection has recently been developed to assay low plasma vitamin K1 levels. Osteoporotic patients with fractures had significantly lower plasma vitamin K1 levels than age‑matched controls.

Abstract

If γ-carboxylation, by the vitamin K-cycle, of glutamate residues of bone-matrix peptides is essential for the formation of bone, the circulating levels of this vitamin might indicate the potential efficiency of this process. Methods involving HPLC with electrochemical detection have very recently been developed for assaying the low levels of vitamin K1. that occur in normal plasma. Using such methods, we found that the circulating levels of vitamin K1. in osteoporotic patients (who hadsustained either spinal crush-fractures or fractures of the neck of the femur) were significantly lower than those of age-matched control subjects.