July 2010
You may have heard about FRAX®, a fracture risk
assessment system from the World Health Organization (WHO) that was released in March 2008. It lets an
individual enter their risk factors (for example, having broken a bone, being a smoker or on a steroid
medication) as well as bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip. The FRAX tool then calculates the 10-year risk
of hip fracture and the 10-year risk of a major osteoporotic fracture (spine, forearm, hip or shoulder
fracture).
Since 2008 over 20 countries have had their FRAX tools
added to the website. Different FRAX tools are needed for each country because fracture rates are very
different, even between Canada and the United States.
Osteoporosis Canada has been working to obtain the data needed to develop a Canadian FRAX model. The Canadian
FRAX tool is now available on the FRAX website and as an
iPhone application. The 2010
Osteoporosis Canada Best Practices Guidelines, scheduled for release later this year, will guide physicians
and patients on how FRAX might be used in making decisions about osteoporosis treatment. Until then, the
Canadian FRAX tool is of interest as an educational tool.
If you are a health professional, please visit our Resources for Health Professionals
Section.
