FRAX

FRAX is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate the 10-year probability of bone fracture risk. It was developed by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases at Sheffield University. FRAX integrates clinical risk factors and bone mineral density at the femoral neck to calculate the 10-year probability of hip fracture and the 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture (clinical spine, forearm, hip or shoulder fracture).

FRAX is freely accessible online, and commercially available as a desktop application, in paper-form as a FRAX Pad, as an iPhone application, and as an Android application. The tool is compatible with 58 models for 53 countries, and is available in 28 languages.

The models used to develop the FRAX diagnostic tool were derived from studying patient populations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. Clinical risk factors assessed include a prior fragility fracture, parental history of hip fracture, current tobacco smoking, long-term use of glucocorticoids, rheumatoid arthritis, other causes of secondary osteoporosis and daily alcohol consumption. FRAX assessments are intended to provide guidance for determining access to treatment in healthcare systems.

FRAX is incorporated into many national guidelines around the world, including those of Belgium, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK (NOGG), and US (NOF).