Test for Bone Loss?

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Self-Administered Test Aims to Measure Bone Loss

By Debra Sherman CHICAGO (Reuters) - A hand-held device likely to hit the US market this year for use at home can tell millions of Americans currently taking drugs for osteoporosis whether their medication is working, the manufacturer said. Osteoporosis, a disease in which bone matter is gradually lost causing the bones to become porous and brittle, is known as the ``silent thief'' because its victims often are unaware of their condition until a fracture occurs, usually of the hip, spine or wrist. Doctors currently rely on X-rays and ultrasound images to measure bone density and determine whether there has been deterioration. Osteoporosis patients, or even those who fear the onset of the bone-wasting disease, can now test themselves in as little as 5 minutes. The device received US regulatory approval for home use on August 15. Doctors will be able to prescribe the credit card-sized device. At least one drug maker is using it in a study to evaluate its own osteoporosis drug. ``It's a self-administered test and everything that's done in a lab is done in this little device. This will bring to osteoporosis patients what the original Macintosh (news - web sites) did for PC (personal computer) users,'' said Bologna, chairman, president and chief executive of the device's manufacturer, Ostex International Inc. The device, called NTx Point-of-Care, detects the presence of the NTx peptide, a protein fragment that is a byproduct of bone matter and is secreted in the urine. The disposable test, which can be purchased at a pharmacy with a prescription for about $38, can measure the level of this peptide and determine if too much bone is being lost. The effectiveness of the device is based on the strong correlation between peptides in the urine and bone loss, Bologna said. Osteoporosis is part of the natural aging process, and can be exacerbated by a number of factors including a lack of calcium, a lack of exercise, hormone imbalance and smoking. The body is constantly building and simultaneously breaking down bone. Until age 30 to 35, the body builds more bone than it loses. Afterward, it breaks down more bone than it grows, especially in menopausal women who are particularly susceptible to osteoporosis. The disease afflicts 28 million Americans--80% of them women. Osteoporosis can result in painful symptoms and sharply raises the risk of debilitating fractures, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. A woman's risk of developing a hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of developing breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, four types of drugs are commonly prescribed for postmenopausal women to either prevent or halt the advance of the problem. Procter & Gamble Co. purchased the detecting device for use in a safety study in Europe of its Actonel drug. ``We think it's a good technology,'' Procter & Gamble spokeswoman Feder said. ``We're pleased with the results in Europe and we're looking at the potential to expand testing in the United States.''