Master’s Thesis at Al-Nahrain College of Medicine Investigates the Association of Novel Biomarkers with Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women

On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, a master’s thesis defense was held at the College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clinical Biochemistry Branch, for master’s student Zainab Alaa Abdul-Ghani, whose thesis was entitled:

“Association of Serum Osteopontin, Cathepsin-K and Fibroblast Growth Factor-23  Levels with Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis.”

The study aimed to assess the serum levels of three biomarkers associated with bone metabolism and remodeling—Osteopontin (OPN), Cathepsin-K (CatK), and Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 (FGF23)—and compare their levels among postmenopausal women with normal bone density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. It also investigated the association between these biomarkers and bone mineral density (BMD).

The study included 120 Iraqi postmenopausal women aged 50–70 years, who were divided into three groups of 40 participants each: an osteoporosis group, an osteopenia group, and a control group. Participants were classified according to their T-scores obtained from bone mineral density assessment. Serum levels of OPN, CatK, and FGF23 were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, along with measurements of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and vitamin D.

The results demonstrated elevated levels of the studied biomarkers among women with osteopenia and osteoporosis. The study also revealed significant inverse correlations between OPN and CatK and both BMD and T-score. Meanwhile, FGF23 showed a positive correlation with phosphorus among women with osteoporosis and an inverse correlation with vitamin D among women with osteopenia.

Furthermore, ROC curve analysis demonstrated the discriminatory ability of OPN, CatK, and FGF23 among the study groups, suggesting their potential utility as adjunctive biomarkers for assessing bone status in postmenopausal women, alongside bone mineral density measurement.

In conclusion, the study demonstrated that changes in OPN, CatK, and FGF23 levels are associated with bone status in postmenopausal women. Investigation of these biomarkers may contribute to a better understanding of the biochemical changes associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis, although further large-scale studies are needed to evaluate their clinical significance.

The discussion committee consisted of:

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Hassan Hussein Taha – Chair

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Ali Farooq Hussein – Member

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Salem Khalaf – Member

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Zeina Abdul-Ilah Abdul-Ali – Member and Supervisor

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Firas Mohammed Abdul-Ghani – Member and Supervisor

The thesis was successfully approved with a grade of Excellent.

Media and Government Communication Division
College of Medicine – Al-Nahrain University