<p>1</p><p>On-line supplementary material </p><p>Methods</p><p>Biochemical and hormonal parameters</p><p>Analysis of serum calcium and phosphate were performed by photometry (ADVIA 2400, </p><p>Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Frankfurt, Germany). Intact parathyroid hormone </p><p>(PTH) was determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), (Centaur, Siemens </p><p>Healthcare Diagnostics, Frankfurt, Germany) with an assay reference range of 1.3 to 7.6</p><p> pmol/L. Total 25-(OH)-vitamin D3 was measured by luminescence immunoassay (LIA), </p><p>(LIAISON, Dia Sorin, Dietzenbach, Germany). Serum bone-specific alkaline </p><p> phosphatase was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), </p><p>(ACCESS, Beckmann Coulter, Krefeld, Germany). Osteocalcin was determined by </p><p> electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA), (Modular, Roche Diagnostics, </p><p>Mannheim, Germany). Urinary desoxypyridinoline (DPD Crosslinks) were analyzed by </p><p>LIA (Immulite, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Frankfurt, Germany), data are given per</p><p> mmol of creatinine. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were analyzed by a commercially available </p><p> radioimmunoassay (Mediagnost, Reutlingen, Germany); z-score values were calculated </p><p> by use of gender- and age-specific reference values (Mediagnost, Reutlingen, </p><p>Germany). Plasma estradiol concentrations were measured by CLIA (Centaur, </p><p>Healthcare Diagnostics, Frankfurt, Germany). Plasma testosterone concentrations were </p><p> determined by radioimmunoassay, following extraction and chromatography, (Liquid </p><p>Szintillations Counter, Perkin-Elmer LAS, Rodgau-Jügesheim, Germany). 2</p><p>Supplementary Figure legends</p><p>Supplementary Figure 1: Total bone mineral density (BMD, z-score values) at the distal radius as a function of patient age. There was a weak significant inverse correlation (r = - </p><p>0.286; p=0.0348). </p><p>2 3</p><p>Supplementary Figure 1</p>