Table 2 Bone turnover markers and bone status evaluated with DXA and pQCT in SSc patients and controls

 Total calcium (mmol/L; mean ± SD)

2.41 ± 0.14

2.32 ± 0.11

0.001

 PTH (pmol/L; mean ± SD)

5.47 ± 2.84

4.14 ± 1.38

0.008

 OC (μg/L; mean ± SD)

22.22 ± 9.54

25.2 ± 7.76

0.075

 CTX-I (μg/L; mean ± SD)

0.359 ± 0.193

0.28 ± 0.2

0.051

 P1NP (μg/L; mean ± SD)

49.38 ± 24.47

43.2 ± 21.9

0.135

 25OH D (nmol/L; mean ± SD)

53.96 ± 36.80

53.46 ± 16.35

0.47

 25OH levels < 75 nmol/L (n; %)

32 (73%)

30 (91%)

0.06

 25OH levels < 50 nmol/L (n; %)

26 (60%)

13 (39.3%)

0.003

 Hip fracture (%; mean ± SD)

4.00 ± 4.36

2.31 ± 2.49

0.049

 Major fracture (%; mean ± SD)

13.48 ± 8.03

9.28 ± 5.13

0.009

 Lumbar spine (L2–4; g/cm²; mean ± SD)

0.880 ± 0.108

0.996 ± 0.181

0.019

 Femoral neck (FN; g/cm²; mean ± SD)

0.786 ± 0.134

0.91 ± 0.09

0.007

 Lumbar spine (L2–4; mean ± SD)

− 1.64 ± 1.48

− 0.50 ± 0.92

0.005

 Femoral neck (FN; mean ± SD)

− 1.78 ± 1.01

− 0.44 ± 0.84

< 0.001

 Osteoporosis (n; %)

10 (22.7%)

0 (0%)

0.004

 Osteopenia (n; %)

23 (52.2%)

15 (45.4%)

0.009

 Osteoporosis (n; %)

10 (22.7%)

0 (0%)

0.004

 Osteopenia (n; %)

16 (36.3%)

19 (57.5%)

0.106

 Total density (mg/cm³; mean ± SD)

248.42 ± 70.94

347.94 ± 40.16

< 0.001

 Cortical density (mg/cm³; mean ± SD)

328.03 ± 103.32

487.06 ± 42.45

< 0.001

 Trabecular density (mgcm³; mean ± SD)

150.93 ± 61.91

184.76 ± 33.03

0.037