Objective To explore the gender differences in the association between iron metabolism and bone turnover markers in elderly patients with fragility fracture.Methods A total of 271 patients admitted in our hospital from Aug 2014 to Oct 2017 with osteoporotic fractures were divided into two groups:109 males and 162 females,aged from 60 to 92 years.Both groups were further divided into 3 age groups(60 to 70,71 to 80,and ≥81 year group).Biochemical indicators,serum ferritin and bone turnover markers were detected eight hours after admission.Results In the male group,there were no statistical differences in serum ferritin and serum procollagen type Ⅰ Nterminal propeptide(PINP) among age groups (all P ＞ 0.05).Serum β-carboxy terminal telopeptide of collagen type Ⅰβ-CTX(β-CTX)was elevated with ageing.In the female group,serum ferritin,PINP,and β-CTX were elevated with ageing.There was a significant positive correlation between serum ferritin and β-CTX in two gender groups (all P ＜ 0.05)without gender difference.Gender difference was observed in the correlation between serum ferritin and PINP between two gender groups:a significant positive correlation in the female group (r =0.255,P =0.001)whereas a significant negative correlation in the male group(r=-0.207,P=0.031).Conclusions There are gender differences in correlations of serum ferritin with bone turnover markers.Increased iron accumulation in postmenopausal women is closely correlated with high bone turnover rate.