Osteoporosis in men

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Geriatrics
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Osteoporosis is often perceived as a women's disease, but men face significant fracture risks.
• Lifetime fracture risk in men is 1 in 4, with males accounting for 30% of hip fractures.
• Men experience higher morbidity and mortality from osteoporotic fractures compared to women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the current understanding of osteoporosis in men.
• To review epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of male osteoporosis.
• To emphasize the need for increased attention to osteoporosis in men.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on male osteoporosis.
• Discussion of recently published indications for bone mass measurement in men.
• Analysis of secondary causes of bone loss and laboratory evaluation in osteoporotic men.

Main Results:

• Indications for bone mass measurement in men include hypogonadism and corticosteroid use.
• A consensus diagnosis of osteoporosis at a T-score of -2.5 or below is forthcoming.
• Secondary causes of bone loss are found in up to two-thirds of osteoporotic men, including corticosteroid use, alcohol abuse, hypogonadism, and idiopathic hypercalciuria.

Conclusions:

• Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for men, with substantial fracture risk and worse outcomes.
• Laboratory evaluation is indicated for osteoporotic men to identify secondary causes of bone loss.
• Pharmacologic treatments for osteoporosis are now approved for men, improving management options.