Changes in Bone Mineral Density with Age in Polish Urban Males* Zmiany gęstości mineralnej kości w procesie starzenia się mężczyzn z polskiej populacji wielkomiejskiej

Background. Age−related bone mineral density (BMD) loss is observed in both middle aged men and middle aged women. Objectives. The aim was to evaluate changes in BMD at the femoral neck (FN) and the lumbar spine (L2–L4) in men of a Polish metropolitan population. Material and Methods. A population−based sample of 466 randomly selected men aged 25–65, residents of Wroclaw, Poland, participated in the study. Densitometric measurements were performed using dual−energy X−ray absorptiometry (DXA). BMD (g/cm 2 ) and T−scores were determined. Results. BMD in the FN and L2–L4 differed significantly among the age groups and correlated significantly and negatively with age. The mean annual BMD decrease was 0.3% at the FN and 0.1% at L2–L4. Statistically signif− icant BMD reductions were observed in the FN in the 4th and in L2–L4 in the 4th and 6th decades of life. BMD was 10% higher at the FN and 5% at L2–L4 in men 30–39 than in those 60–65 years old. The prevalence of the WHO criteria for osteoporosis (T−score ≤ –2.5) and osteopenia (–2.5 < T−score ≤ –1) was 4.6% and 18.8%, respec− tively, in the study population. Osteoporosis was found in 1% of 30–39, 6% of 40–49, 6% of 50–59, and 8% of 60–65 year olds at the lumbar spine and in 1% of 30–39, 1% of 50–59, and 12% of 60–65 year olds at the FN. Osteopenia was detected in 22% of 25–29, 15% of 30–39, 12% of 40–49, 24% of 50–59, and 22% of 60–65 year olds at L2–L4 and in 28% of 25–29, 20% of 30–39, 42% of 40–49, 39% of 50–59, and 36% of 60–65 year olds at the FN. Conclusions. The BMD reduction that occurred with age in Polish men was greater at the femoral neck than the lumbar spine and appeared at about the fourth decade of life. Its rate was similar to that described for white Americans and slightly lower than in the Arabic, Asian, and Northern European populations (Adv Clin Exp Med 2009, 18, 4, 369–379).