Sex distribution and bone mineral density by current low-trauma fracture status in a hospital DXA cohort: a retrospective single-centre study

Omar M. Awad; Marek Lacko; Ahmad Gharaibeh; Vladimír Filip

doi:10.18203/issn.2455-4510.IntJResOrthop20263899

Authors

Omar M. Awad Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Locomotor Apparatus, P. J. Šafárik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia
Marek Lacko Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Locomotor Apparatus, P. J. Šafárik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia
Ahmad Gharaibeh Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Locomotor Apparatus, P. J. Šafárik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia
Vladimír Filip Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Locomotor Apparatus, P. J. Šafárik University and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2455-4510.IntJResOrthop20263899

Keywords:

osteoporosis, sex, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, fracture, T-score, Slovakia

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis in men is frequently underrecognized. We compared sex distribution and T-scores from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in patients with and without a current low-trauma fracture.

Methods: Authors retrospectively analysed 307 hospital DXA reports obtained between September 2025 and September 2026. Patients were classified by recorded diagnosis into a current-fracture group (n=109) or a no-current-fracture group (n=198). Logistic regression evaluated the association of male sex with current-fracture group membership, adjusting for age and lowest available T-score.

Results: Men comprised 22 of 109 patients (20.2%) in the current-fracture group and 13 of 198 (6.6%) in the no-current-fracture group (crude odds ratio (OR) 3.60, 95% confidence interval CI) 1.73–7.48; age- and T-score-adjusted OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.72–7.95). Median lowest T-scores were −1.90 and −1.50, respectively (p = 0.011). Among patients with available T-scores, 33 of 105 (31.4%) in the current-fracture group and 29 of 196 (14.8%) in the no-current-fracture group had values in the osteoporosis range.

Conclusions: Within this selected DXA cohort, men were more frequent in the current-fracture group even after adjustment for age and T-score. Most patients with a current fracture had T-scores above −2.5, emphasizing the need to consider fracture status alongside densitometry.

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