Individualized fracture risk prediction

Abstract

Fractures are a growing problem today and an urgent public health challenge due to the increasing proportion of older people and the increasing incidence of fractures. Osteoporotic fragility fractures are common in men as well as women. More than 50% of women and more than 25% of men aged older than 50 years will sustain a fragility fracture in their remaining lifetime. Moreover, it is clear that initial fragility fractures signal much increased risk of further fractures, and several studies support the relationship between major (proximal) fragility fractures and premature mortality. Subsequent fracture risk is highest in the first years after the initial fracture. Therefore, it is important to identify patients at high risk for fractures and subsequent fractures for whom treatment would be most effective.