Male osteoporosis: new insights in an understudied disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Osteoporosis in men is increasingly recognized as an important health problem. New research contributes to our knowledge of gender differences in osteoporosis risk, diagnosis and management. We undertook this review to summarize recent developments in the field of male osteoporosis. RECENT FINDINGS: The paper reviews recently published studies that reveal new insights into male osteoporosis. It addresses epidemiology, risk factors, use of clinical risk assessment tools, diagnosis and treatment. New data continue to suggest that men have higher mortality rates than women after hip fracture, and that men may experience fractures at higher bone mineral density values than women. Treatments for osteoporosis have been studied mostly in women, but trials including both men and women are now being conducted. Likewise, there are several newer cohorts with bone and fracture outcomes that include men and women. The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study is the first United States-based cohort to include only men; this study is contributing importantly to our understanding of epidemiology and risk factors for osteoporosis in men. SUMMARY: Men and their physicians should be aware of the risk for osteoporosis and the gender differences that exist within this disease. Further research is needed to continue to understand differences in pathophysiology, epidemiology and risk factors, and to promote appropriate therapies among men.