Prevalence of Osteoporosis in Thai Men
Chatlert Pongchaiyakul MD*, Chalermchai Apinyanurag MD**, Supasil Soontrapa MD***, Sugree Soontrapa MD****, Choowong Pongchaiyakul BSc*****, Tuan V Nguyen PhD******, Rajata Rajatanavin MD*******
Affiliation : * Departments of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen ** Departments of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen *** Departments of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen **** Departments of Obstetric and Gynecology, Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen ***** Nursing Division, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen ****** Bone and Mineral Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia ******* Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
Background : Osteoporosis is a growing health problem not only in women but also in men. However, there is
a scarcity of epidemiologic data to study osteoporosis in Thai men.
Objectives : To examine the bone mineral density (BMD) and to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in
Thai men.
Materials and Methods : A total of 412 men (159 from Bangkok and 253 from Khon Kaen, respectively) averag-
ing 51 + 16 years of age, were measured for BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine by dual energy X-ray
absorptiometry (LUNAR Corporation, WI, USA).
Results : The peak BMD was observed in men 20-29 years of age at both the femoral neck (mean + SD,
1.10 + 0.15 g/cm2) and lumbar spine (mean + SD, 1.17 + 0.13 g/cm2). The prevalence of osteoporosis in the
entire group of subjects was 12.6, 4.6 and 3.9 per cent at the femoral neck, lumbar spine and both sites,
respectively. The prevalence of osteoporosis increased with advancing age and was significantly higher at the
femoral neck in urban men than rural men (18.2 vs 9.2 per cent, p < 0.05) but comparable at the lumbar spine
(5.0 vs 4.3 per cent, p = 0.81). The correlation between femoral neck and lumbar spine BMDs was 0.53 (p <
0.001). In univariate analysis, increased age, lower weight and lesser height were each associated with lower
femoral neck BMD, whereas only lower weight and lesser height were associated with lower lumbar spine
BMD. However, when the three factors were entered simultaneously, only increased age and lower weight
were significantly associated with lower femoral neck BMD and only lower weight had a significant associa-
tion with lower lumbar spine BMD.
Conclusion : The present study demonstrated descriptive BMD data, normal BMD reference values for diagno-
sis and reported the prevalence of osteoporosis in Thai men.
Keywords : Osteoporosis, Bone mineral density, Men, Thai, Epidemiology
