Factors associated with bone mineral density in Korean middle-aged men / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a growing health problem not only in women but also in men. This cross-sectional study examined the association of anthropometric, lifestyle and hormonal factors with bone mineral density (BMD) in 152 healthy Korean middle-aged men. METHODS: Smoking habits and alcohol consumption were assessed from an interview. Serum testosterone, growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. GH stimulating tests were performed with ingestion of 500 mg of L-dopa. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and femur neck using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: 3.9% of middle-aged men were osteoporotic and 28.3% were osteopenic at lumbar spine site, and 5.9% were osteoporotic and 45.4% were osteopenic at femur neck site. Lumbar spine BMD correlated significantly with body mass index (BMI, r=0.301, p<0.001). Femur neck BMD correlated significantly with BMI (r=0.314, p<0.001), age (r=-0.209, p<0.01) and serum IGF-1 level (r=0.267, p<0.01). Osteoporotic men at Lumbar spine BMD had significant difference in BMI and smoking habits (83.3% vs. 29.1%, p<0.05) than normal BMD. Also, osteoporotic men of femur neck BMD had significant difference in age, BMI and serum IGF-1 levels (192.9 g/L vs. 268.4 g/L, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Overall, 32.2~51.3% were osteopenic in Korean middle-aged men. We suggest that higher age, lower BMI, smoking habits and lower serum IGF-1 levels are risk factors for lower BMD in men. But, Serum testosterone and GH were not correlated with BMD in men.