Men, Too, Need Bone Scans
Osteoporosis is not just a woman's disease

(HealthDay News) -- Older women might get most of the attention when it comes to osteoporosis, but apparently men, too, should share in the spotlight.

Men older than 80 should be tested for the bone-thinning disease, as should men 65 and older who've already had a bone fracture, according to Dr. John Schousboe, of Park Nicollet Health Services in Minneapolis , who authored a study on men and osteoporosis.

Men face a one-in-four risk for having an osteoporosis-related fracture, compared with a one-in-two chance for women, experts say.

But the numbers still are substantial, they say, and bone scans could actually save a life. A fracture is not only disabling for older people, but can be lethal.

"We know that up to 20 percent of people will actually die in the year following their hip fracture," said Dr. Felicia Cosman, associate professor of medicine at Columbia University and an osteoporosis specialist at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y. "That's due to a combination of factors related to the surgery, related to immobilization of being in the hospital, of acute complications of the fracture itself -- pulmonary embolism, for example," she told HealthDay .

And yet no major medical association has advocated for regular bone-density testing for older men.

Schousboe's study is a step toward changing perceptions. Drawing on existing information on men's bone health, the researchers used a computer simulation to estimate the cost and benefit of bone-density testing, plus five years of drug therapy, for white men 65, 70, 75, 80 and 85 years old, with and without a history of fractures.

Testing showed that rates of neck-bone osteoporosis in men rose along with age -- from 14.5 percent of men at age 65 to almost 34 percent at 85 years old. Men with osteoporosis were also much more likely to end up with a fracture than were those without the condition, the researchers found.

Getting a bone-density test, then following it up with drug treatment, cut down significantly on men's fracture incidence, the study found.

Schousboe hopes that the information will spark debate among experts on the virtues of recommending bone scans for older men.

For her part, Cosman agreed that men, as well as women, need to take better care of their bones. Smoking and excessive drinking can harm bones, so giving up those two habits would be a great first step, she said.

"We also want to concentrate on the best nutrition for bone health, [and] that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, adequate protein and, of course, a calcium- and vitamin D-rich diet," she said.

Weight-bearing exercise is also key to strengthening aging bones and avoiding dangerous falls, Cosman said. Weight-bearing physical activities -- walking, jogging, running tennis, dancing and weight lifting -- cause muscles and bones to work against gravity.

On the Web

To learn more about bone health, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: HealthDay News ; Felicia Cosman, M.D., associate professor of medicine, Columbia University, New York City, and osteoporosis specialist and director, Clinical Research Center, Helen Hayes Hospital, West Haverstraw, N.Y.; John Schousboe, M.D., Park Nicollet Health Services, Minneapolis; Aug. 8, 2007, Journal of the American Medical Association ; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)
Author: Anne Thompson
Publication Date: Aug. 31, 2008
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