Oxytocin Controls Chondrogenesis and Correlates with Osteoarthritis.

This study investigated the relationship of oxytocin (OT) to chondrogenesis and osteoarthritis (OA). Human bone marrow and multipotent adipose-derived stem cells were cultured in vitro in the absence or presence of OT and assayed for mRNA transcript expression along with histological and immunohistochemical analyses. To study the effects of OT in OA in vivo, a rat model and a human cohort of 63 men and 19 women with hand OA and healthy controls, respectively, were used. The baseline circulating OT, interleukin-6, leptin, and oestradiol levels were measured, and hand X-ray examinations were performed for each subject. OT induced increased aggrecan, collagen (Col) X, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein mRNA transcript levels in vitro, and the immunolabelling experiments revealed a normalization of Sox9 and Col II protein expression levels. No histological differences in lesion severity were observed between rat OA groups. In the clinical study, a multivariate analysis adjusted for age, body mass index, and leptin levels revealed a significant association between OA and lower levels of OT (odds ratio = 0.77; p = 0.012). Serum OT levels are reduced in patients with hand OA, and OT showed a stimulatory effect on chondrogenesis. Thus, OT may contribute to the pathophysiology of OA.

Isolated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) deficiency in two infertile men without FSH ß gene mutation: Case report and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Congenital FSH deficiency is an exceptional cause of male infertility most often attributed to FSH ß gene mutations. The few published cases report azoospermia, severe testicular hypotrophy and normal testosterone levels associated with normal virilization. We report the exploration of two young men aged 26 and 27 years with severe sperm abnormalities, moderate testicular hypotrophy and isolated FSH deficiency. METHODS: Several FSH, LH, total testosterone and inhibin B assays and FSH ß gene sequencing were performed. RESULTS: FSH was almost undetectable at baseline and poorly responsive to GnRH test, whereas LH was normal at baseline and increased after GnRH test. Testosterone levels were within the adult range, while inhibin B levels were upper-normal to high. No FSH ß gene mutations were found. Exogenous FSH treatment was followed by spontaneous pregnancy in one case and required intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the other. CONCLUSIONS: The paradoxical high levels of inhibin B reflect the presence of functional Sertoli cells and may explain the isolated FSH deficiency. An intra-gonadal factor stimulating inhibin B secretion is discussed.

First family case of haemoglobinopathy Titusville in France and literature overview.

Normal haemoglobin is a tetramer molecule, consisting of two α and ß haemoglobin chains. Haemoglobinopathies occur when abnormalities in these proteins are present. More than 1000 naturally occurring human haemoglobin variants with single amino acid substitution throughout the molecule have been identified and can be discovered through their clinical and biological manifestations. Here, we report the case of a 60-year-old woman for whom no oximetry results were obtained during blood gas analysis (BGA) and the values of oxygen saturation obtained from pulse oximetry (73%) and co-oximetry (90%) differed. Haemoglobin analysis demonstrated the presence of a variant in the alpha chain. Clinical history of the patient and her family revealed they carry a haemoglobin variant (Titusville type), thus representing the first French family case reported. Those results raised the question whether the presence of this variant could be the cause of the errors encountered during BGA.

Is interstitial 8p23 microdeletion responsible of 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis? One case report from birth to puberty.

BACKGROUND: Chromosome 8p deletions are associated with a variety of conditions, including cardiac abnormalities, mental, behavioral problems with variable morphotype and genitourinary anomalies in boys. METHODS: We describe the follow-up over almost 15 years of a boy who initially presented with perineal hypospadias with a micropenis and cryptorchidism with 46,XY DSD. RESULTS: Imaging, pathology, and hormonal exploration suggested gonadal dysgenesis. Further genetic studies were deemed necessary during follow-up. The child's further development recommended further genetic analyses. High-resolution analysis showed an interstitial deletion on the short arm of a chromosome 8: 46,XY,del(8)(p23.1p23.1). We reviewed the literature and found 102 cases including 54 boys: 62.7% had mental problems, 50.9% a dysmorphic disorder, 55.9% cardiac anomalies, and 46.3% of the boys had genitourinary anomalies. Our patient's genital abnormalities can be explained by the haploinsufficiency of the genes, such as GATA4 (OMIM 600576) that are included in the deleted area. CONCLUSION: This case of severe 46,XY DSD raises the question of the role played by 8p23 microdeletion in gonadal dysgenesis. Clinicians are encouraged to look for this anomaly on chromosome 8 in cases of unexplained gonadal dysgenesis even when few signs suggestive of this anomaly are present.

Association of abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter with insulin resistance index.

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies have highlighted a negative association between diabetes and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between insulin resistance and AAA size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cross sectional monocentric study analysed fasting blood samples from 55 patients with AAA eligible for surgical repair. They were divided into 2 groups according to the median AAA diameter: diameter < 50 mm (N = 28) and diameter > 50 mm (N = 27). The median ages were respectively 73 years (62 - 79) and 72 years (67 - 81). Glucose and fructosamine concentrations were determined by spectrophotometry; insulin and C-peptide using chemiluminescent technology. Homeostasis model assessment 2 calculator was used to estimate insulin resistance index (HOMA2 IR). RESULTS: There was no significant difference for fasting glucose concentration between the groups (6.1 vs. 5.9 mmol/L, P = 0.825). C-peptide and insulin concentrations, as well as HOMA2 IR index were significantly higher in patients with AAA > 50 mm (0.82 vs. 0.54 nmol/L, P = 0.012; 9 vs. 5 mU/L, P = 0.019 and 1.72 vs. 1.26, P = 0.028, respectively). No linear correlation was identified between AAA diameter and HOMA2 IR. Fructosamine concentration was lower in patients with AAA > 50 mm (225.5 vs. 251 µmol/L, P = 0.005) and negatively correlated with AAA diameter (r = - 0.54, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study evidenced an association between AAA diameter and insulin resistance. Further studies are required to determine a causal link between insulin resistance and AAA development.

Positive Association of High Leptin Level and Abdominal Aortic Calcification in Men　- The Prospective MINOS Study.

BACKGROUND: Severe abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) points to high cardiovascular risk and leptin stimulates arterial calcification; however, clinical data on their association are scarce. We studied the link between serum leptin and AAC severity and progression, and the effect of smoking and lipid levels, on this association in men. Methods and Results: At baseline, 548 community-dwelling men aged 50-85 years underwent blood collection and lateral lumbar spine radiography. In 448 men, X-ray was repeated after 3 and 7.5 years. AAC was assessed using Kauppila's semiquantitative score. In multivariable models, high leptin was associated with higher odds of severe AAC (odds ratio [OR]=1.71 per SD, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-2.40). The odds of severe AAC were the highest in men who had elevated leptin levels and either were ever-smokers (OR=9.22, 95% CI: 3.43-24.78) or had hypertriglyceridemia (vs. men without these characteristics). Higher leptin was associated with greater AAC progression (OR=1.34 per SD, 95% CI: 1.04-1.74). The risk of AAC progression was the highest in men who had elevated leptin levels and either were current smokers or had high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels (OR=5.91, 95% CI: 2.46-14.16 vs. men without these characteristics). These links remained significant after adjustment for baseline AAC and in subgroups defined according to smoking and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS: In older men, high leptin levels are associated with greater severity and rapid progression of AAC independent of smoking, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol or triglycerides.

Is Inappropriate Response to Cosyntropin Stimulation Test an Indication of Corticosteroid Resistance in Septic Shock?

We recently published a comparison of two hydrocortisone dosage regimens in patients with septic shock. We compare the results conferred by the two regimens as a function of the response to cosyntropin stimulation test (CST). Patients with septic shock were treated by one of two hydrocortisone regimens: either a 50-mg intravenous bolus every 6 h during 7 days (200 mg group; n = 49), or a 100-mg initial bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 300 mg daily for 5 days (300 mg group; n = 50). Nonresponders was defined as a CST response of 9 µg/dL or less. Nonresponders had more severe septic shock, greater fluid resuscitation needs, and greater vasopressor dependence than responders. When analyzed only as a function of CST results, there was no difference in survival between responders and nonresponders. However, analyses crossing CST results and the treatment regimens showed that patients who were responders and in the 300 mg group had significantly less intensive care unit mortality compared with responders in the 200 mg group (respective mortality of 24% vs. 55% [relative risk 0.43, 95% confidence interval, 0.20 to 0.94, P = 0.018]). Multivariate analysis identified baseline blood cortisol as an independent prognostic factor for 28-day mortality in all groups (hazard ratio 1.002, 95% confidence interval, 1.001 to 1.002, P ≤ 0.0001). The results suggest that in patients who respond to CST, hydrocortisone can provide a dose-dependent benefit. In contrast, nonresponse may indicate corticosteroid resistance. This heterogeneity of response to hydrocortisone may explain the difficulties encountered when trying to demonstrate its benefit in septic shock.

Decreased serum glicentin concentration in patients with severe and morbid obesity.

Background Proglucagon-derived hormones represent a family of peptides mainly produced in the pancreas and the intestine. While several proglucagon-derived peptides play key roles in metabolic diseases, little is known about glicentin. The aim of the present study was to investigate serum glicentin concentrations in individuals with adult obesity and to study its potential link with various metabolic parameters. Methods Fifty-two individuals with normal body mass index (BMI < 25 kg/m2) and 39 patients with severe or morbid obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2) were prospectively included at the University Hospital of Nice between January 2014 and April 2016. Clinical data were recorded, and a fasting blood sample was collected to measure glicentin, glucose, insulin, C-peptide, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL-cholesterol. In addition, a homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) was also calculated. Results Patients with severe and morbid obesity had significantly higher plasma glucose, together with higher serum concentrations of insulin, C-peptide, HOMA2-IR, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and lower serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol compared with individuals with a normal body mass index. The obese patients displayed significantly lower fasting serum concentrations of glicentin compared with subjects with a normal body mass index (12 pmol/L vs. 24 pmol/L, P < 0.0001). In the total population, fasting glicentin concentrations did not correlate with BMI, glycaemic parameters (glucose, insulin, C-peptide, HOMA-IR) or lipid parameters (total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL-cholesterol). Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting serum glicentin concentrations in healthy lean and obese adult subjects. We found that fasting serum glicentin concentrations are decreased in patients with severe or morbid obesity suggesting the potential interest of this peptide in obesity and metabolic-related disorders.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Interfere With Leydig Cell Hormone Pathways During Testicular Descent in Idiopathic Cryptorchidism.

Cryptorchidism, a frequent genital malformation in male newborn, remains in most cases idiopathic. On the basis of experimental, epidemiological, and clinical data, it has been included in the testicular dysgenesis syndrome and believed to be influenced, together with genetic and anatomic factors, by maternal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Here, we analyze how EDCs may interfere with the control of testicular descent, which is regulated by two Leydig cell hormones, testosterone, and insulin like peptide 3 (INSL3).

Insights on glicentin, a promising peptide of the proglucagon family.

Glicentin is a proglucagon-derived peptide mainly produced in the L-intestinal cells. While the roles of other members of the proglucagon family including glucagon-like peptide 1, glucagon-like peptide 2 and oxyntomodulin has been well studied, the functions and variation of glicentin in human are not fully understood. Experimental and clinical studies have highlighted its role in both intestinal physiology and glucose metabolism, pointing to its potential interest in a wide range of pathological states including gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders. Due to its structure presenting many similarities with the other proglucagon-derived peptides, its measurement is technically challenging. The recent commercialization of specific detection methods has offered new opportunities to go further in the understanding of glicentin physiology. Here we summarize the current knowledge on glicentin biogenesis and physiological roles. In the limelight of clinical studies investigating glicentin variation in human, we discuss future directions for potential applications in clinical practice.

Fasting Circulating Glicentin Increases After Bariatric Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Bariatric surgery including the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a well-established therapeutic option for patients with morbid or severe obesity. Metabolic modifications observed after bariatric surgery are thought to be, at least partly, linked to hormonal changes. While variation of several proglucagon-derived peptides during bariatric surgery is well documented, little is known about glicentin. The aim of this study was to investigate circulating glicentin variations after bariatric surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty patients eligible for bariatric surgery (18 RYGB and 12 LSG procedures) were prospectively included in the University Hospital of Nice. Clinical data and fasting biological parameters were recorded preoperatively, at 3, 6, and 12 months after bariatric surgery. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 51 years (35-56) with 33.3% men. Fasting glicentin concentration increased progressively after bariatric surgery from 6 months and was more marked at 12 months (14 ± 3.6 pmol/L at baseline vs 19.7 ± 2.7 pmol/L at 12 months for RYGB and 12.5 ± 1.4 vs 16.4 ± 1.8 pmol/L for LSG, respectively). Compared to preoperative values, the fold increase of glicentin at 12 months was 2 ± 0.2 in the RYGB group and 1.6 ± 0.3 in the LSG group. Glicentin variation after surgery did not correlate with anthropometric, glycemic, or lipid parameter modifications. CONCLUSION: Fasting glicentin level increases after bariatric surgery suggesting the potential interest of this peptide as a player and/or a marker of physiological changes after bariatric surgery.

High serum oxytocin is associated with metabolic syndrome in older men - The MINOS study.

AIM: Oxytocin regulates food intake, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and urinary sodium excretion. We assessed the association between serum oxytocin levels and presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in older men. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was performed in 540 volunteer men aged 50-85yrs from the MINOS cohort. Oxytocin was measured in fasting serum by radioimmunoassay (Oxytocin RIA, Phoenix Pharmaceuticals). MetS was diagnosed using the harmonized definition. RESULTS: Serum oxytocin was higher in 166 men with MetS vs. controls (p<0.005). After adjustment for confounders including leptin, higher oxytocin was associated with higher odds of MetS (OR=1.38 per SD, 95%CI: 1.10-1.71, p<0.005). Men with serum oxytocin >0.74pg/mL (median) had higher odds of MetS vs. men with oxytocin ⩽0.74pg/mL (OR=2.06, 95%CI: 1.33-3.18, p<0.005). Higher oxytocin levels and low testosterone levels (total or free) were significantly associated with higher odds of MetS jointly and independently of each other. Men having oxytocin >0.74pg/mL and total testosterone <300ng/dL (<10.4nmol/L) had higher odds of MetS vs. men without these characteristics (OR=3.95, 95%CI: 1.65-9.46, p<0.005). Men having 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels <30ng/mL and oxytocin >0.74pg/mL had higher odds of MetS vs. men without these characteristics (OR=2.86, 95%CI: 1.47-5.58, p<0.01). Men having oxytocin >0.74pg/mL and osteocalcin levels <14.6ng/mL (lowest quartile) had higher odds of MetS vs. men without these characteristics (OR=4.12, 95%CI: 2.07-8.20, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In older men, higher serum oxytocin levels are associated with higher odds of MetS regardless of potential confounders.

Sex-specific autophagy modulation in osteoblastic lineage: a critical function to counteract bone loss in female.

Age-related bone loss is associated with an increased oxidative stress which is worsened by estrogen fall during menauposis. This observation has drawn attention to autophagy, a major cellular catabolic process, able to alleviate oxidative stress in osteoblasts (OB) and osteocytes (OST), two key bone cell types. Moreover, an autophagy decline can be associated with aging, suggesting that an age-related autophagy deficiency in OB and/or OST could contribute to skeletal aging and osteoporosis onset.In the present work, autophagy activity was analyzed in OST and OB in male and female mice according to their age and hormonal status. In OST, autophagy decreases with aging in both sexes. In OB, although a 95% decrease in autophagy is observed in OB derived from old females, this activity remains unchanged in males. In addition, while ovariectomy has no effect on OB autophagy levels, orchidectomy appears to stimulate this process. An inverse correlation between autophagy and the oxidative stress level was observed in OB derived from males or females. Finally, using OB-specific autophagy-deficient mice, we showed that autophagy deficiency aggravates the bone loss associated with aging and estrogen deprivation.Taken together, our data indicate that autophagic modulation in bone cells differs according to sex and cell type. The lowering of autophagy in female OB, which is associated with an increased oxidative stress, could play a role in osteoporosis pathophysiology and suggests that autophagy could be a new therapeutic target for osteoporosis in women.

Neurotoxicant exposure during pregnancy is a confounder for assessment of iodine supplementation on neurodevelopment outcome.

CONTEXT: The developing brain is vulnerable to iodine deficiency (ID) and environmental neuro-toxicants. OBJECTIVES: To assess neurocognitive development of children whose mothers have received (or not) iodine supplementation during pregnancy, in an area of borderline ID, while assessing in utero exposure to environmental neuro-toxicants. DESIGN/PATIENTS: Among 86 children born from normal euthyroid women who participated in our prospective interventional study on iodine supplementation (150 µg/day) started early in pregnancy, 44 (19 with iodine supplementation, 25 controls) were assessed at two years using the Bayley test. Information on parents' education and habits (smoking), and on child development was recorded. Thyroid tests at each trimester of pregnancy and on cord blood (CB) were available, as well as milk concentrations of selected environmental compounds known for their neurotoxicity, including heavy metals and PCBs. RESULTS: There was no difference in Bayley tests for children born to mothers with and without iodine supplementation, but sample size was small. Language and Social-Emotional Scales were negatively correlated with TBG at all times tested, while PCB 118 correlated negatively with all Language scales. Among maternal and CB thyroid tests, only CB thyroglobulin, the best marker of iodine status, correlated (negatively) with neurodevelopment scales (Motor and Expressive Language). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that PCB118 has a negative impact on neurocognitive development, possibly mitigating the benefit of iodine supplementation in an area of borderline ID. We propose that exposure to environmental neurotoxicants should be taken into account when designing studies on the benefit of iodine supplementation in pregnancy. The potential interactions between TBG, environmental neurotoxicants and brain development warrant further studies.

A negative correlation between insulin-like peptide 3 and bisphenol A in human cord blood suggests an effect of endocrine disruptors on testicular descent during fetal development.

STUDY QUESTION: Does a relationship exist between insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) and selected environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) in human cord blood (cb)? SUMMARY ANSWER: In the whole population (cryptorchid and control boys) cbINSL3 correlated negatively with cb free bisphenol A (BPA) providing indirect evidence for an impact of EEDs on fetal Leydig cell INSL3 production. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: INSL3 is a major regulator of testicular descent. This hormone has been shown to be decreased in cord blood from boys with idiopathic cryptorchidism, the most frequent male malformation. Fetal exposure to several EEDs has been suspected to be involved in the occurrence of idiopathic cryptorchidism. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Correlations between cb INSL3 or testosterone and cb free bioactive BPA and maternal milk polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB153), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and monobutyl phthalate (mBP) were assessed in newborn boys in a prospective case-control study. All boys (n = 6246) born after 34 weeks of gestation were systematically screened at birth for cryptorchidism over a 3-year period (2002-2005), and a diagnosis of cryptorchidism confirmed by a senior paediatrician. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: We studied 52 cryptorchid (26 transient, 26 persistent) and 128 control boys born at two hospitals in southern France. INSL3 was assayed in CB by a modified validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Testosterone was measured in CB after diethyl-ether extraction by means of ultra-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Free cbBPA was measured after an extraction step with a radioimmunoassay validated after comparison of values obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The xenobiotic analysis in mothers' milk was performed after fat extraction by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: EED concentrations were not increased in the cryptorchid versus control group although a trend for increased mBP (P = 0.09) was observed. In the whole study population, cb levels of BPA correlated negatively with INSL3 (P = 0.01; R² = 0.05) but not with testosterone. No other EED correlated with INSL3 or with testosterone. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The levels of BPA and INSL3 in cb may not reflect chronic fetal exposure to EEDs. The deleterious impact of EEDs on fetal testicular descent during specific windows of development has yet to be demonstrated. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The negative correlation between cb free BPA and INSL3 provides indirect evidence for an impact of EEDs on human fetal Leydig cell INSL3 production and points to cbINSL3 as a possible target of EED action during fetal testis development.

Cord blood insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) but not testosterone is reduced in idiopathic cryptorchidism.

BACKGROUND: Cryptorchidism, the most frequent congenital malformation in full-term male newborns, increases the risk of hypofertility and testicular cancer. Most cases remain idiopathic but epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested a role of both genetic and environmental factors. Physiological testicular descent is regulated by two major Leydig hormones: insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) and testosterone. OBJECTIVES: To study the endocrine context at birth as a reflection of late pregnancy in isolated idiopathic cryptorchidism and to analyse the possible disruptions of INSL3 and/or testosterone. METHODS: From a prospective case-control study at Nice University Hospital, we assessed 180 boys born after 34 weeks gestation: 52 cryptorchid (48 unilateral, 4 bilateral; 26 transient, 26 persistent), and 128 controls matched for term, weight and time of birth. INSL3 and testosterone were measured in cord blood and compared in both groups as were other components of the pituitary-gonadic axis: LH, HCG, FSH, AMH and SHBG. RESULTS: INSL3 was decreased in cryptorchid boys (P = 0·031), especially transient cryptorchid (P = 0·029), while testosterone was unchanged as were the other hormones measured. INSL3 was significantly decreased (P = 0·018) in the group of 20 with nonpalpable testes compared with the group of 21 with palpable testes (15 suprascrotal, five inguinal, one high scrotal) according to Scorer classification. In the whole population, INSL3 correlated positively with LH and negatively with AMH, but with no other measured hormones. CONCLUSIONS: INSL3 but not testosterone is decreased at birth in idiopathic cryptorchidism, especially in transient forms. This hormonal decrease may contribute to the impaired testicular descent along with genetic and anatomical factors. Whether foetal environment (nutritional and/or toxicological) interferes with INSL3 secretion in humans remains to be confirmed.

Lack of copeptin elevation during induced myocardial infarction.

The specific kinetic of copeptin secretion during the course of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) had poorly been studied, with most studies assessing copeptin levels in the very first hours of chest pain onset and not ACS itself. To overcome this issue, we took advantage of septal embolization technique for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) treatment, a unique situation during which myocardial infarction (MI) is provoked, to measure plasmatic copeptin levels variation.

Oxytocin, a new determinant of bone mineral density in post-menopausal women: analysis of the OPUS cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Oxytocin (OT), a neurohypophysial hormone regulated by estrogen and leptin, may play a role in bone metabolism in humans as suggested by animal studies. This study assessed the relationship between OT and bone status in a large population of postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Subjects were included in the Osteoporosis and Ultrasound study, a 6-year prospective study in a population-based cohort. Final visit data were used for this cross-sectional study. OT, leptin, and estradiol serum levels were measured in 1097 postmenopausal women and compared with bone mineral density (BMD), fractures, and the bone turnover markers (BTMs) procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, bone alkaline phosphatase, and C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen. RESULTS: The median age was 70.8 years, 16% were osteoporotic, 48% were osteopenic, and 29% had at least one fracture. The OT serum level was related to spine (r = +0.12, P = .0002) and total hip BMD (r = +0.21, P < .0001) and with BTM (procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide: r = -0.13, P < .0001, bone alkaline phosphatase: r = -0.07, P = .02, C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen: r = -0.18, P < .0001). The relationship of OT with BMD was independent of BTM. After adjustment for confounding factors, the correlation between OT serum level and BMD remains significant at the hip in women with unmeasurable estradiol or leptin above the median value. There was no significant relationship between OT serum levels and fractures. CONCLUSION: High OT levels are associated with high BMD, especially at the hip in women with low estradiol or high leptin serum levels. The mechanism may be explained by the effect of OT on bone turnover.