Background: This study aimed to measure urinary free deoxypyridinoline (Dpd) excretion in non-lactating and lactating Arabic women of the United Arab Emirates.
Methods: Morning urine specimens were obtained from 679 non-pregnant, non-lactating women and 268 lactating women. Commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay kits were used for urinary free Dpd determinations.
Results: For the non-lactating women, the mean urinary free Dpd excretion was 9·20 nmol/mmol creatinine (95% confidence interval: 8·82-9·59). This result was significantly higher than those reported elsewhere. There was a trend towards lower Dpd excretion with increasing age (ANOVA test of linearity P<0·05). Urinary free Dpd in lactating women was 9·92 (9·33-10·5); this was not significantly different from that of non-lactating women (P=0·052). Dpd excretion was higher in the first month post-partum, with a significant trend towards diminishing levels thereafter, returning to non-lactating levels by 9 months post-partum (ANOVA test for linearity P<0·005).
Conclusion: Dpd excretion in UAE Arabic women aged 20-44 years was higher than in other groups. This could be due to ethnicity or vitamin D status.
