Recommandations françaises de la prise en charge et du traitement de l’ostéoporose masculine

Osteoporosis in Older Men: Informing Patient Management and Improving Health-Related Outcomes

Osteoporosis has been usually considered a female disease, generally causing more fracture risk and complications in adult and older women compared to older men. While vertebral fractures occur in a small proportion of men during middle age, men generally fracture about 10 years later than women, with significant increases in fracture risk after about age 75. Independent of age, men experiencing fragility fractures have a higher risk of life-threatening events compared to women, but the risk of secondary fragility fracture overlaps between men and women. Often, male osteoporosis recognizes the overlap between secondary causes and primary osteoporosis risk factors. Assessment through physical examination, history, and laboratory tests is recommended, with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of bone density being the preferred diagnostic test for osteoporosis in men. A treatment program should include awareness of diet and vitamin D status, fall risk reduction, and pharmaceutical therapy. Medications that are fracture-reducing in older women should also achieve fewer fractures in older men; however, there is a paucity of studies in men with the primary outcome of fracture risk reduction. Most older men with osteoporosis should be treated with oral or intravenous bisphosphonates, denosumab especially when on androgen deprivation therapy, and initial anabolic treatment should be considered for men at very high risk of fracture. This review summarizes the main features of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in men and reports findings from the available pharmacological and non-pharmacological studies conducted in men.

Osteoporosis in men-East and West: Can the twain meet? A perspective from Asia

Osteoporosis in men remains a significantly underrecognized condition, with notable differences in bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk between Asian and Western populations. Despite 30% of hip fractures globally occurring in men, they are less likely to be diagnosed or treated for osteoporosis, especially in resource-limited settings. Given these disparities, a deeper understanding of osteoporosis epidemiology and treatment efficacy in men is essential, particularly in Asian populations. This review synthesizes the latest evidence on the epidemiology, screening, and treatment of osteoporosis in men, with a focus on genetic, environmental, and epidemiological disparities between Eastern and Western populations. Additionally, the review examines existing controversies surrounding fracture risk screening in men and evaluates the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of pharmacological treatments such as bisphosphonates, denosumab, and anabolic agents. Asian men exhibit lower peak BMD compared to their Caucasian counterparts, leading to potential misdiagnoses when using Caucasian-based BMD reference ranges. Screening tools like the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX)® show variability in performance across populations. Data on pharmacological treatment in men remain limited, although studies suggest comparable benefits to those observed in women. Larger studies, particularly in male and Asian populations, are urgently needed to refine diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines. Osteoporosis in men is underdiagnosed and undertreated globally, with pronounced disparities between populations. Current diagnostic tools and treatment protocols are not fully tailored to male and Asian populations. There is an urgent need for longitudinal studies focusing on male-specific osteoporosis management to reduce fracture risk and improve outcomes.

Evidence-Based Guideline for the management of osteoporosis in men

Historically, osteoporosis has been viewed as a disease of women, with research, trials of interventions and guidelines predominantly focused as such. It is apparent, however, that this condition causes a substantial health burden in men also, and that its assessment and management must ultimately be addressed across both sexes. In this article, an international multidisciplinary working group of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases presents GRADE-assessed recommendations for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of osteoporosis in men. The recommendations are based on a comprehensive review of the latest research related to diagnostic and screening approaches for osteoporosis and its associated high fracture risk in men, covering disease burden, appropriate interpretation of bone densitometry (including the use of a female reference database for densitometric diagnosis in men) and absolute fracture risk, thresholds for treatment, and interventions that can be used therapeutically and their health economic evaluation. Future work should specifically address the efficacy of anti-osteoporosis medications, including denosumab and bone-forming therapies.

Bone mineral density T-scores comparison between obese and non-obese individuals included in a Fracture Liaison Service following a recent fragility fracture

We used data from a Fracture Liaison Service to compare the mean T-scores of obese and non-obese patients after a recent fragility fracture. After adjusting for age, sex, and diabetes mellitus, T-score values were significantly higher at all measurement sites in obese patients, with a mean difference of 1 SD.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to compare the mean T-scores of obese and non-obese patients after recent fragility fractures.

METHODS

Over a period of 5 and a half years, from January 2016 to May 2021, patients from a fracture liaison service were identified and their demographic characteristics, osteoporosis risk factors, BMD T-scores, and fracture sites were compared between obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (19 kg/m2 < BMI < 30 kg/m2) patients.

RESULTS

A total of 712 patients were included (80.1% women; mean age 73.8 ± 11.3 years). Sixteen % had type 2 diabetes mellitus and 80% had a major osteoporotic fracture (MOF). 135 patients were obese and 577 non-obese, with obese patients younger (p < 0.001) and more frequently female (p = 0.03). Obese patients presented with fewer hip fractures (10% vs. 21%, p = 0.003) and more proximal humerus fractures (16% vs. 7%, p < 0.001) than non-obese patients. After adjusting for age, sex, and diabetes mellitus, BMD T-score values were significantly higher at all measurement sites (lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck) in obese patients than in non-obese patients for all types of fractures, with a mean difference of 1 standard deviation (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). The same results were observed in the population limited to MOF.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the crucial role of BMD T-score in determining the need for anti-osteoporotic medication following fragility fractures, it is reasonable to question the existing T-score thresholds in obese patients.