Osteoporosis among male Saudi Arabs: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: Little attention has been paid to the problem of male osteopororsis in Saudi Arabia. In this prospective study we assessed the prevalence of male osteoporosis among Saudi Arabs. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied Saudi Arabian males > 50 years of age attending outpatient clinics at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, between 1 May 2005 and 30 January 2006. We determined body mass index (BMI) and tests were done to rule out secondary osteoporosis. All subjects had a bone mineral density (BMD) measurement of the hip area and the lumbar spine using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). A T-score of ≤−2.5 SD that of young, healthy adults was taken as osteoporotic and scores between −1 to −2.5 SD were taken as osteopenic. RESULTS: One hundred fifteen patients (mean age, 61.8±0.75 years; range, 50 to 76 years) had a mean BMI of 24.7±0.35 (range, 18.5 to 31). Based on hip scans, the prevalence of osteoporosis was 24.3%. Sixty-four percent were osteopenic. Based on scans of the lumbar spine, the prevalence of osteoporosis was 37.4% and 33.9% were osteopenic. Spinal osteoporosis was more common than hip osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the prevalence of osteoporosis among Saudi Arabian males is higher than among Western males. More studies are needed to determine the national prevalence of male osteoporosis. It is recommended that serious measures to be undertaken to prevent male osteoporosis to stop any future epidemic of catastrophic osteoporosis-related fractures.