Fracture risk assessment tool for Singaporeans released

Now available for 27 country models, online calculator is freely accessible worldwide

Today, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases at the University of Sheffield, UK announced the launch of a FRAX- calculator for Singapore.

The FRAX- tool is a freely accessible online calculator which has been developed by the WHO to help evaluate patients at low, medium or high risk of fragility fractures based on clinical risk factors, with or without the use of bone mineral density values. FRAX- calculates an individual's 10-year probability of hip fracture and 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture (clinical spine, forearm, hip or shoulder fracture). The information helps physicians make informed treatment decisions in the course of a clinical evaluation. The calculator, now available for 27 country models, is available online at http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/, or as an iPhone application accessible at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/frax/id370146412?mt=8.

In Asia, models exist for China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, China. An increasing number of countries are gathering the supporting national hip fracture and mortality risk data required to build country-specific models. Likewise, FRAX- is being incorporated into an increasing number of national and regional osteoporosis guidelines around the world.

The announcement of the new FRAX- country model was made at the opening of the IOF Regionals - 1st Asia-Pacific Osteoporosis Meeting, an event which has attracted 1000 international delegates to Singapore. Dr. Chionh Siok Bee, Vice-President of the Osteoporosis Society of Singapore commented, "We are very grateful that the FRAX- tool can now cater specifically to Singaporeans. This means that Singaporeans aged 40 and above can now accurately assess their absolute risk of having an osteoporotic fracture over the next 10 years, with or without a DXA bone mineral density measurement. We have over 2000 hip fractures and 6000 spinal fractures a year in this age group. Hence, health professionals are urged to use this FRAX- tool to help identify high-risk individuals, to manage them with more intensive lifestyle modifications, and consider starting them on osteoporosis medications."