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UCSD RESEARCHERS STUDYING OSTEOPOROSIS IN MEN           

Men Over 65 Needed for National Institutes of Health Research

Osteoporosis has long been considered a woman’s disease, but UCSD School of Medicine researchers, through a grant from the National Institutes of Health, are examining bone loss and its effects in men.

The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study, also known as Mr. OS, is a research study being conducted at six medical centers nationwide, including UCSD. The seven year study will follow 6,000 senior men (65 years and older) for an average of five years. The object of this study is to determine the extent to which the risk of fracture in men is related to bone mass and structure, biochemistry, lifestyle, tendency to fall and other factors. The study will also try to determine if bone mass is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, M.D., UCSD Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine, and Diane Schneider, M.D., UCSD Associate Professor of Medicine, are the investigators for the San Diego Mr. OS study which is expected to enroll about 950 men. "One-third of hip fractures occur in men, yet we know very little about who may be at risk," Dr. Schneider said. "Mr. OS will be then landmark bone study in men. We hope men 65 and older in the community will be willing to volunteer their time to participate in this important study."

Other centers conducting the study include: Stanford University; University of Minnesota; the University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Oregon Health Sciences University; and the University of Pittsburgh.

Participants of the study will be invited for two planned visits over five years. The initial visit will include bone density measurements, x-rays, laboratory tests, visual function tests and muscle strength tests. This is not a clinical trial, therefore no medications will be administered. To enroll in the study or for more information, call 858/673-5574.