WHO fracture risk calculator (FRAX™) in the assessment of obese patients with osteoporosis

Abstract

Introduction: Recently, a new fracture risk-assessment calculator (FRAX™) has been introduced. The aim of this study was to assess its usefulness for the re-assessment of fracture risk in obese patients and re-assignment to treatment.
Material and methods: 350 obese female patients were included. In all of them, 10-year fracture risk was calculated using FRAX™ (with and without T score value).
Results: If major osteoporotic fracture risk was calculated with BMD, it was low in most of the patients (in 82.1% of those treated, and in 95.9% of those not treated it was below 10%). Mean risk values were significantly higher in the treated (7.7 [3;39]%) than in the non-treated group (4.6 [2.1;14]%). The reason for start of treatment in 95 out of 106 patients was a sustained low-energy fracture, low BMD, or both.
Conclusions: The WHO fracture risk calculator may be a useful tool in treated obese females with osteoporosis. The information regarding 10-year fracture risk may change the treatment strategy at least for those in whom the decision of treatment was based solely on low BMD.