Osteoporosis in older men
Abstract
Historically, the focus in osteoporosis has been on postmenopausal women. In the past few years, information about osteoporosis in other populations, including men, has begun to emerge. Although less common in older men, osteoporosis nonetheless represents a major health concern. Approximately 30% of hip fractures worldwide occur in men, resulting in significant mortality and loss of independence. The incidence of osteoporotic fractures in men is increasing. The reason for this is unclear, but improvement in longevity and better management of other chronic diseases most likely play a role. Two recent studies have addressed the question of fracture risk in men past middle age and have estimated that men > 50 years of age have a 19% to 25% lifelong risk of osteoporotic fracture. Mortality is higher following hip fracture and pain is more intense in men than in women following severe vertebral fracture.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Effectiveness of Bisphosphonates and Denosumab on Risk of Vertebral Fractures in Prostate Cancer Patients Under Androgen Deprivation Therapies: A Real-World Prospective Study
- Osteoporosis-related fractures after spinal cord injury: a retrospective study from Brazil
- Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and mortality in older men
- Lack of Association between Vitamin D Insufficiency and Cardiovascular or Fracture Risk: A UK Biobank Study
- Muscle strength and body composition are clinical indicators of osteoporosis
- Incidence of bone protection and associated fragility injuries in patients with proximal femur fractures
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.