Connect
What is a reasonable C-Telopeptide marker value
Seeking help from the knowledgeable ladies (and gents) in this group. I'm an almost 79 yr old female. I had my latest DEXA scan in November which showed great improvement in my spine over the ones done the previous 3 years; none at the hips. However the machine used was upgraded this year so it may not be an apples to apples comparison and the test result showed that it was not compared to anything.
In December 2023 I had a Reclast infusion which may have contributed to the improved spinal readings.
I've just received the results of the C-Telopeptide test with a reading of 132 and have no clue if this is high or low. Does it appear the Reclast is still preventing degradation? I know now that probably would have benefited from an anabolic but what's done is done. I'd like to take a drug holiday and eventually go on a bone builder. Any comments would we helpful.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.
Connect
Does anyone know how the NTX vale’s compare to CTX values? If a CTX of 100 - 375 pg/m is good, what would the comparable NTX range be?
@mariannegr Put it in AI. It explains it better than any doctor.
@mariannegr Are you working with an endocrinologist? A CTX of 598 indicates a high level of bone breakdown. Evenity increases both bone resorption and building but a bisphosphonate is recommended after cessation of treatment as one’s body tends to go into a period of higher bone breakdown.
For reference, I just completed twelve months of Evenity and my CTX is 102, indicating that my body has a low level of bone resorption going on. I will be getting an infusion of Reclast soon to keep my CTX low. If I don’t do this, my body will ramp up bone resorption as this is a natural process that occurs after a period of bone building.
It helps to have a P1NP value as well. My wife's CTX doubled while on Tymlos, but her P1NP tripled. That means the bone remodeling process is ramped up and working in her favor. It's the ratio between the two that tells you what is going on. Note that CTX tests can be unreliable, and they are very sensitive to the time of day you had it (morning is best.). A test taken mid-day can be misleading.
Our approach is to have P1NP and CTX tests taken every six months.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@mariannegr Measures collagen fragments released into the blood when bone is broken down, aiding in the diagnosis of high-turnover bone diseases and monitoring treatment efficacy. I would say this is on the higher side. I would also ask for a P1NP which would tell you how active your bone building cells are.
I do this test every 3 months.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@njx58 Do you have the bone markers taken every 6 months while being treated or even between treatments/holidays? Most of what I read is that the markers are most helpful during treatment (answering the question: is the med or practice working) but I want to use them to monitor my remodeling process during a drug holiday and I need to convince my PCP that these markers are something worthwhile.
@rjd Be careful as many insurances don't like to cover CTX or P1NP. You might be better off ordering these tests yourself thru a 'retail' lab service like Jason Health. In my area of California, ordering thru Jason Health saves hundreds of dollars and they send me to a local Quest Lab for the draw. No fighting with the doc or insurance!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@michieg You're lucky. In my state, using such labs is not allowed. I can only go through Quest or Labcorp, either via script or by purchasing directly from them (and they don't sell the bone marker tests.)
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@rjd Without the bone markers, you will have to wait a year for your DEXA to see what's going on. I don't like waiting a year. The bone markers, especially once you have a history for them, give you a good indication of what is happening.
Give your PCP this article!
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7216784/
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 Reactions@kristie2 Do you know if taking collagen peptides influences the CTX score even if they have not been taken for at least 48 hours?