Association between changes in serum bone metabolism markers and bone microarchitecture changes during basic combat training – The ARMI study

Importance

U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) improves tibial volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) and structure in most, but not all soldiers. Few studies have investigated whether changes in serum bone biomarkers during BCT are associated with changes in tibial BMD and bone structure following BCT.

Objective

To characterize bone biomarker changes during BCT and to investigate the relationship between changes in bone biomarkers and changes in tibial BMD and bone structure.

Methods

We enrolled 235 trainees entering BCT in this ten-week prospective observational study. Trainees provided fasted blood samples and questionnaires weekly throughout BCT. Procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (PINP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) were measured by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays every two weeks during BCT. We evaluated body composition and mass via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bone structure, microarchitecture, and mineral density at the distal tibia via high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography at baseline and post-BCT.

Results

Both male (n = 110) and female trainees (n = 125) were young (20.9 ± 3.7 and 20.7 ± 4.3 years, respectively), with normal to overweight BMIs (25.2 ± 4.1 and 24.2 ± 3.6 kg/m², respectively). In female trainees, PINP increased during and post-BCT compared to baseline, with the greatest increase in PINP at week four (45.4 % ± 49.6, p < 0.0001), whereas there were no changes in CTX. PINP also increased in male trainees, but only at weeks two and four (21.9 % ± 24.5, p = 0.0027 and 35.9 % ± 35.8, p < 0.0001, respectively). Unlike female trainees, in males, CTX was lower than baseline at weeks four, eight, and post-BCT. The change in PINP from baseline to week four of BCT was positively associated with changes in tibial BMD, Tb.BMD, Tb.Th, Tb.BV/TV, Ct.Th, Ct.Ar, and Ct.Po from the baseline to post-BCT.

Conclusion

The bone formation marker PINP increases during U.S. Army BCT, especially during the first four weeks. Increases in PINP, but not CTX, were correlated with improved BMD and bone structure in the distal tibia.