| [ Summary ] |
A number of clinical risk factors have been defined for osteoporotic fractures. The WHO proposed the FRAX (fracture risk assessment tool) by which absolute fracture probability could be calculated through the use of risk factors with or without factoring in bone mineral density. The proposed independent risk factors are age, a prior fragility fractures, a parental history of hip fracture, smoking, use of systemic corticosteroids, excess alcohol intake, secondary osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Management algorithms in postmenopausal women based on a health analysis have been proposed in several countries including the UK, Sweden, Germany, the USA and Canada. |