title: Sex hormones and bone mineral density in elderly men.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between sex hormones and bone mineral density (BMD) in older men. Community-dwelling men (n = 134, mean age (SD) 69.5 (3.1) years) were recruited from two general practices in Cambridge, UK. Plasma total testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were assayed and a free androgen index (FAI) was derived as the ratio of total testosterone to SHBG (x 100). Spine and hip BMD were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry using the Hologic QDR-1000. After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), the FAI correlated with femoral neck (r = 0.20, P = 0 0.03), intertrochanteric, trochanteric and Ward's Triangle BMD (r = 0.22, P = 0.01). Analysis of variance, with adjustment for age and BMI, showed a progressive upward trend of hip BMD with increasing quartiles of FAI. The findings suggest that free testosterone plays a role in determining bone mineral density in older men.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Gerontology Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Khaw
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Compston
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis*; D013131:Spine; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone