Jane A. Cauley et al.
Journal of Clinical Densitometry: Assessment of Skeletal Health, vol. 14, no.3, 240-262, 2011
Official Positions for FRAX Clinical Regarding International Differences
Osteoporosis is a serious worldwide epidemic. Increased risk of fractures is the hallmark of the disease and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and economic burden. FRAX is a web-based tool developed by the Sheffield WHO Collaborating Center team, that integrates clinical risk factors, femoral neck BMD, country specific mortality and fracture data and calculates the 10 year fracture probability in order to help health care professionals identify patients who need treatment. However, only 31 countries have a FRAX calculator at the time paper was accepted for publication. In the absence of a FRAX model for a particular
country, it has been suggested to use a surrogate country for which the epidemiology of osteoporosis most closely
approximates the index country. More specific recommendations for clinicians in these countries are not available.