Plasma concentrations of osteocalcin are associated with the timing of pubertal progress in boys.

Background: Animal models have shown that the skeletal hormone osteocalcin stimulates testicular testosterone synthesis. To assess whether osteocalcin might be a useful marker to detect pubertal development disorders, we examined osteocalcin plasma concentrations in children and adolescents with and without disorders of pubertal development. Methods: Osteocalcin concentrations were investigated in a total of 244 patients with endocrine disorders (122 males, mean age: 11.87 + 3.77 years), including patients with precocious puberty and constitutional delay of puberty. Results: Osteocalcin concentrations were highest among adolescents with precocious puberty and advanced pubertal development (120.60 +/- 45.22 ng/mL), while the concentrations were lowest among patients with constitutional delay of puberty (102.20 +/- 37.13 ng/mL). Overall, osteocalcin concentrations were strongly correlated with markers of bone metabolism. Conclusions: Although plasma osteocalcin concentrations are associated with pubertal development in boys, it does not appear to be a useful diagnostic marker for altered pubertal development.