Why measure bone mineral density in at-risk men as well as women?
Although the prevalence and impact of osteoporosis is greater in women, the burden of disease in men is not insubstantial. Important similarities exist between osteoporosis seen in men and that seen in women. • The fracture rate for the same absolute bone mineral density (BMD) level is the equivalent in men and women (1). • The relative risk of hip fracture in men is 3.0 for every 1 standard deviation fall in BMD from baseline (2). • Age-related changes in BMD are similar in men and women, although men, with greater peak BMD, have delayed onset of symptomatic osteoporosis (3). • Effective treatments for osteoporosis are now available for men as well as for women. • Mortality associated with hip and other fractures is higher in men than in women (4).
