Osteoprotegerin/sRANKL ratio is increased in bone marrow and serum of multiple myeloma patients

Bone marrow (BM) and serum OPG and sRANKL levels were determined in 30 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and 30 controls using ELISA kits (Biomedica GmbH). In MM patients, BM OPG ranged from 63 to 397 pg/ml with a mean of 122 +/- 68, median 103 pg/ml while sRANKL ranged from 0 to 130 pg/ml, mean 35 +/- 27, median 34 pg/ml. Serum OPG level ranged from 42 to 350 pg/ml with a mean of 125 67, median 104 pg/ml while sRANKL ranged from 0 to 293 pg/ml, mean 41 +/- 65, median 19 pg/ml. Median values of the OPG/sRANKL ratio for BM and serum of MM patients were 3,06 (range 1.02-11.02) and 3,36 (range 0,48-13,5), respectively. There was a correlation between BM and serum OPG levels (r=0,74) but not sRANKL levels (r=0,27). In controls, mean serum OPG was 84 +/- 31, median 78pg/ml while sRANKL was 28 +/- 61, median 0 pg/ml.