title: Health related quality of life in male patients with osteoporosis: results of a cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoporosis is one of the most common diseases affecting elderly persons. Male patients with osteoporosis have rarely been the focus of earlier studies. This study explores health related quality of life (HRQoL) indicators in a sample of German male patients with osteoporosis to determine potential avenues for clinical practice changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study describes two HRQoL indicators (EQ5D and QUALEFFO-41) in a sample of male patients being treated for osteoporosis. Questionnaires were sent to all male patients being treated at the Dresden University Hospital outpatient endocrine clinic. Of the 344 patients invited to participate in the study 155 (57.2%) were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall HRQoL EQ-5D-scores for male patients with osteoporosis were greater than those of comparable groups of the German population. Patients with ≥2 fractures had the highest level of impairment in HRQoL. Of all the dimensions of EQ-5D-scores, pain/discomfort was the most affected. Better HRQoL (median values <10.0/QUALEFFO-41 scores) were detected in the whole sample for jobs around the house, activities of daily living and mobility compared to other dimensions. The highest levels of impairment were observed in the QUALEFFO-41 domains of general health perception, mental function and pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis confirms the association between number of fractures and worse estimation of HRQoL in male patients. Because men are 3 times less likely to suffer from osteoporosis than women, the specific HRQoL characteristics of male patients with this disease can often be overlooked. Clinicians should consider mental health referral especially for osteoporotic male patients having experienced ≥2 fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice/Medical Clinic III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus of the Technische Universität, Dresden, Germany. Karen.Voigt@uniklinikum-dresden.de
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taché
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Straßberger
authors.forename: Henna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riemenschneider
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peschel
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kugler
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergmann
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires