Working Groups

Joint IOF Working Group and IFCC Committee on Bone metabolism

Members

Chair: E Cavalier

Members:
IOF: K Åkesson, N Al-Daghri, C Cooper, R Eastell, J Foldes, P Garnero, NR Jørgensen, JA Kanis, P Khashayar, N Lane, M McClung, T Nickolas, S Silverman
IFCC: HP Bhattoa, V Delatour, A Heijboer, G Lombardi, K Makris, R Pikner, S Vasikaran, H Vesper

Aim

This joint IOF WG-IFCC Committee comprises experts from the IOF and the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC), and its aim is to identify consensus reference standard bone markers for assessing fracture risk and monitoring osteoporosis treatment.

Projects

  • Harmonisation and standardisation of assays for bone status indices
  • Nomenclature of bone status indices

Related content

Bone Turnover Markers Educational Course

Publications

  1. Bhattoa, H.P., Vasikaran, S., Trifonidi, I. et al. Update on the role of bone turnover markers in the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis: a consensus paper from The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO), International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), and International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC). Osteoporos Int (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-025-07422-3
  2. Lombardi, G., Jørgensen, N., Harvey, N., McCloskey, E., Åkesson, K., Eastell, R., Garnero, P., Kanis, J., Khashayar, P., Lane, N., McClung, M., Silverman, S., Makris, K., Bhattoa, H., Vasikaran, S., Pikner, R., Cavalier, E. & the Joint IOF Working Group and IFCC Committee on Bone Metabolism (2024). Guidelines for the correct use of the nomenclature of biochemical indices of bone status: a position statement of the Joint IOF Working Group and IFCC Committee on Bone Metabolism. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM). https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2024-1148
  3. Cavalier, E., Pikner, R., Vasikaran, S.D. et al. Standardization of the nomenclature of bone status indices: a milestone in diagnostic consistency and clarity. Osteoporos Int (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-024-07339-3
  4. Cavalier E. et al. on behalf of the IOF-IFCC Joint Committee on Bone Metabolism (C-BM). Analytical performance specifications for the measurement uncertainty of 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D examinations. Clin Chem Lab Med. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2023-0176
  5. Dincel, A.S., Jørgensen, N.R. & on behalf of the IOF-IFCC Joint Committee on Bone Metabolism (C-BM). New Emerging Biomarkers for Bone Disease: Sclerostin and Dickkopf-1 (DKK1). Calcif Tissue Int (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-022-01020-9
  6. Vasikaran SD, Miura M, Pikner R, Bhattoa HP, Cavalier E, on behalf of the IOF-IFCC Joint Committee on Bone Metabolism (C-BM). Practical Considerations for the Clinical Application of Bone Turnover Markers in Osteoporosis. Calcif Tissue Int (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-021-00930-4
  7. Cavalier E, Eastell R, Jørgensen N.R. et al. A Multicenter Study to Evaluate Harmonization of Assays for C-Terminal Telopeptides of Type I Collagen (ß-CTX): A Report from the IFCC-IOF Committee for Bone Metabolism (C-BM). Calcif Tissue Int (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-021-00816-5
  8. Bhattoa HP, Cavalier E, Eastell R, Heijboer AC, Jørgensen NR, Makris K, Ulmer CZ, Kanis JA, Cooper C, Silverman SL, Vasikaran SD; IFCC-IOF Committee for Bone Metabolism. Analytical considerations and plans to standardize or harmonize assays for the reference bone turnover markers PINP and β-CTX in blood. Clin Chim Acta. 2020 Dec 28:S0009-8981(20)30591-X.
  9. Cavalier E, Lukas P, Bottani M, Aarsand AK, Ceriotti F, Coşkun A, Díaz-Garzón J, Fernàndez-Calle P, Guerra E, Locatelli M, Sandberg S, Carobene A; European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Biological Variation and IOF-IFCC Committee on Bone Metabolism. European Biological Variation Study (EuBIVAS): within- and between-subject biological variation estimates of β-isomerized C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX), N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP), osteocalcin, intact fibroblast growth factor 23 and uncarboxylated-unphosphorylated matrix-Gla protein-a cooperation between the EFLM Working Group on Biological Variation and the International Osteoporosis Foundation-International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Committee on Bone Metabolism. 
    Osteoporos Int. 2020 Aug;31(8):1461-1470. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05362-8.
  10. Vasikaran SD, Bhattoa HP, Eastell R, Heijboer AC, Jørgensen NR, Makris K, Ulmer C, Kanis JA, Cooper C, Silverman S, Cavalier E. Harmonization of commercial assays for PINP; the way forward. 
    Osteoporos Int. 2020 Mar;31(3):409-412. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05310-6.
  11. Cavalier, E., et al., A multicenter study to evaluate harmonization of assays for N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP): a report from the IFCC-IOF Joint Committee for Bone Metabolism. Clin Chem Lab Med, 2019.
  12. Morris, H.A., et al., Clinical usefulness of bone turnover marker concentrations in osteoporosis. Clin Chim Acta, 2017. 467: p. 34-41.
  13. Johansson, H., et al., A meta-analysis of reference markers of bone turnover for prediction of fracture. Calcif Tissue Int, 2014. 94(5): p. 560-7.
  14. Vasikaran, S.D., C. Cooper, and J.A. Kanis, Recommendations for bone marker standards in osteoporosis: what, why and where to now? Ann Clin Biochem, 2011. 48(Pt 2): p. 91-2.
  15. Vasikaran, S., et al., Markers of bone turnover for the prediction of fracture risk and monitoring of osteoporosis treatment: a need for international reference standards. Osteoporos Int, 2011. 22(2): p. 391-420.
  16. Vasikaran, S., et al., International Osteoporosis Foundation and International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine position on bone marker standards in osteoporosis. Clin Chem Lab Med, 2011. 49(8): p. 1271-4.