Diagnosis of Male Osteoporosis

Since secondary osteoporosis is common in men, differential diagnosis is essential for the diagnosis of primary osteoporosis. Previous disease history, family history along with past and present drug use should be elicited thoroughly in the interview to exclude secondary causes of osteoporosis. The same diagnostic criteria for primary osteoporosis for women(by the Japanese Society for Bone and Mineral Research)are also used for men, and the same cutoff value as women for bone mineral density(BMD)at the lumbar spine and proximal hip is used for men in diagnosis. However, BMD at proximal hip is more useful than lumbar spine for diagnosis of male osteoporosis. Gender-specific cutoff values are used for BMD at the distal radius and metacarpal bone.