Secondary osteoporoses and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

In order to assess properly the diagnosis of osteoporosis, a short clinical investigation is required to address potential causes for bone loss. Osteo porosis used to be suspected in a patient with vertebral demineralization, but nowadays it is often diagnosed in a patient with a low bone mass on a s creening dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). In this setting, it is im portant for the clinician to look for secondary osteoporosis, especially in men in whom secondary osteoporosis is more frequent than in women, before discussing any specific therapy. The major causes are longterm glucocortico id therapy, endocrine (hypogonadism, primary hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyr oidism), or digestive diseases.