Bone histomorphometry in men with spinal osteoporosis.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there is an effect of age and the presence of predisposing risk factors on the pattern of bone resorption in men with spinal osteoporosis. We present iliac bone histomorphometric data after in vivo double tetracycline labeling in 21 men aged 34-74 with significant spinal osteoporosis as evidenced by compression spinal fracture without significant trauma. Fourteen of the 21 men (67%) had identifiable predisposing risk factors for their osteoporosis, such as ethanol abuse, hypercortisolism, hypogonadism, or underlying medical conditions. The other 7 men (33%) had no such identifiable risk factors. The conclusions of the study were that (1) there was no correlation between age of the patient and degree of bone resorption based on two parameters of resorption and (2) there was no difference in the pattern of bone resorption between the groups with and without known predisposing risk factors for osteoporosis or underlying medical conditions.