Assessment of Individual Fracture Risk: FRAX and Beyond

Abstract

The World Health Organization fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) and the Garvan fracture risk calculator are both widely available tools for individualized fracture risk prediction in daily practice. The FRAX model is implemented in several guidelines and most widely used at present. However, clinicians should take into account the differences between the models, especially with regard to the effect of the number of falls, number and clustering of previous fractures, and the number of clinical risk factors on the outcome of predicted fracture risk. Further development will be needed for optimal integration of bone- and fall-related risks, clustering of fractures, and dosing of risk factors to validate the models in different populations and to validate the ability to select patients who will achieve fracture risk reduction with anti-osteoporosis therapy. FRAX may be used as the primary model, and in patients with recurrent fractures and falls the use of the Garvan model may be of additional value.