ASSESSMENT OF THE FRACTURE RISK THROUGH FRACTURE RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL (FRAX) IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Abstract

Current National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) guidelines recommend treating patients with a 10-year fracture risk (FRAX) of ≥3% for hip fractures or ≥20% for major osteoporotic fractures to reduce the future fracture risk. The present study investigated the distribution of the women in the groups with a FRAX score for major osteoporotic fractures below 20% and for hip fractures below 3%, as well as a FRAX score for major osteoporotic fractures ≥20% and for hip fractures ≥3%. We found that women with a fracture risk corresponding to a FRAX score for major osteoporotic fractures ≥20% and with a FRAX score for hip fractures ≥3% were significantly older (p = 0.000) and had significantly lower weight and height (p = 0.000) compared to women with FRAX score for major osteoporotic fractures below 20% and with a FRAX score for hip fractures below 3%. Regarding the risk factors studied, women with a history of rheumatoid arthritis who currently use corticosteroids have the highest risk of fractures with a FRAX score for major osteoporotic fractures ≥20% and a FRAX score for hip fractures ≥3%.