In a series of 70 men with vertebral crush fractures, 38 (54%) were fo
und to have an underlying secondary cause of osteoporosis such as hypo
gonadism (16%), oral steroid therapy (13%), neoplastic disease (9%), e
xcess alcohol consumption (6%), gastric surgery (1%) or a combination
of these factors (10%). The diagnosis of secondary osteoporosis was no
t always apparent from the clinical history and physical examination,
suggesting that appropriate investigations should be performed in all
men with vertebral crush fractures.