title: Masticatory dysfunction is associated with osteoporosis in older men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thirty per cent of hip fractures occur in men. Nevertheless, the determinants of osteoporosis in men are unclear. Masticatory dysfunction is associated with malnutrition, and might represent an emergent cause of osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to assess the association of bone mineral density and self-assessed masticatory dysfunction in a general older population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the association of masticatory dysfunction with standard parameters of bone mineral density (T-score, Z-score and the stiffness index) in all 310 subjects aged 75+ living in Tuscania (Italy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among men, self-assessed masticatory dysfunction was associated with T-score [beta=0.86, confidence intervals (CI)=0.15-1.57; p=0.019], Z-score (beta=0.86, CI=0.16-1.56; p=0.017) and the stiffness index (beta=9.12, CI=0.47-17.77; p=0.039) in linear regression modeling, after adjusting. No significant associations were observed in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Masticatory dysfunction is independently associated with osteoporosis in elderly men. Evaluation of masticatory function should enter the routine assessment of older men with osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Catholic University of Medicine, Rome, Italy. postalice@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laudisio
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marzetti
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Antonica
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Settanni
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Georgakakis
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernabei
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zuccalà
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D003720:Densitometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography